“Russia has never refused the fact that after 2019 transit will continue. This was repeatedly stated both by the president himself and by the head of Gazprom. I do not really understand what is being said, if we are already ready for this. The only question is under what conditions the transit will be carried out, because behind the words that Naftogaz is ready to reduce the volume of requirements, there are essentially specific conditions in the form of minimum volumes that they would like to be fixed in the contract. We are currently in favor of making the treaty freer, with the prospect that the volumes will gradually decrease after 2019 due to the launch of Nord Stream 2. But even after the start of the gas pipeline, transit through the territory of Ukraine will continue, ”he believes.
According to the expert, the statements of the Ukrainian company, taking into account all the moments, are more like “a pun, rather than a search for a compromise.”
He also noted that the Russian transit brings Ukraine a lot of money, depending on the incoming volumes.
“Of course, no one is willing to donate these amounts of money. Therefore, recent statements by Ukraine about energy independence are more virtual. The fact that now Kiev receives due to reverse from the side of western traders is the same Russian gas. Imagine that transit is interrupted for six months. The question immediately arises where Europe will get gas for them. In Ukraine, of course, they can talk about the development of their own production, but this requires serious investments, which can be supported by only one thing - a further increase in gas tariffs, ”concluded Pikin.
Earlier, Naftogaz said they were ready to reduce the amount of the claim to Gazprom on transit from $ 12 billion to $ 2 billion.
According to Vitrenko, this can happen if the transit contract is extended.