Regular negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on gas transit to Europe took place in Vienna - this time at the corporate level (PJSC Gazprom and NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy, LLC Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine).
Naftogaz’s executive director, Yuri Vitrenko, announced the readiness of the Ukrainian company to consider receiving Russian gas to pay off the debt awarded by the Stockholm arbitration in February 2018. This is about $ 2.6 billion. In addition, Kiev is ready to withdraw new claims when concluding a “long-term transit contract” and receiving compensation for Gazprom’s allegedly default on its obligations under current contracts.
“Now we are ready to return to the trilateral talks and tell the Europeans how we honestly discussed these issues,” Vitrenko wrote on Facebook.
Along with this, he announced a possible increase in fuel prices for Europe if the transit of fuel through Ukrainian territory ceases from the beginning of 2020, and also expressed doubt that transit would be carried out without an agreement.
Note that earlier the chairman of the board of NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy Andriy Kobolev in an interview with Liga.net reported that the company had allegedly already been able to recover $ 2.1 billion from Gazprom, which he called 45% of the total amount, which is $ 4, 67 billion. However, recalling that decision, the Stockholm arbitration court took into account the counterclaims of the Russian holding company, obliging ultimately to pay $ 2.56 billion. Meanwhile, this decision is still being challenged by Russia in court.
In turn, the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak emphasized that the key topic of discussion is just the settlement of litigation between the parties.
“Also, such conditions should be created for gas transit that are competitive with respect to others. In this case, of course, transit will be preserved and we will have the opportunity, including the use of the gas transportation system of Ukraine, ”added the head of the Ministry of Energy in an interview with Russia 24.
At the same time, according to him, the consultations are intensive.
“Of course, we are determined to find all the necessary solutions to the issues that exist,” Novak said.
- Minister of Energy of Russia Alexander Novak
- Reuters
- © Leonhard Foeger
Meanwhile, the press service of Gazprom published a press release following the results of bilateral negotiations at the expert level in Vienna. The document says that the Russian holding and LLC Operator of the gas transmission system of Ukraine "" discussed the results of cooperation over the past week and agreed on further joint work. "
At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting with representatives of German business circles once again emphasized that Moscow does not intend to stop the transit of raw materials through Ukraine, despite the imminent completion of the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. However, the question is economic feasibility, the Russian leader explained and expressed hope that Gazprom and Naftogaz would be able to reach a consensus, despite the "current difficult to implement demanding positions."
“Now, as you know, we are negotiating with our Ukrainian partners, they are being held in Vienna. I see that there are demanding positions on both sides, I’ll say frankly that it’s rather difficult to implement, ”TASS quoted Putin as saying.
“Facebook statements, it's about nothing”
According to the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council committee on international affairs, Vladimir Dzhabarov, the conditions proposed by the Ukrainian side will be rejected because of its illogicality.
“Let's wait on December 9th and the“ Norman format. ” I think that during this meeting, when Putin will have a private conversation with Zelensky in private, these issues will be discussed. I don’t even doubt that the Russian side will make the absolutely right decision, ”the source said.
In turn, the deputy director general of the Institute of National Energy Alexander Frolov drew attention to the fact that Ukraine repeatedly indicates that it wants to conclude a transit contract in accordance with European law. Meanwhile, the unbundling has not yet been carried out, and Naftogaz and Yuriy Vitrenko personally put forward conditions and assess the prospects for the gas situation after January 1, 2020, despite the fact that this issue will be related to the scope of activities of the Ukrainian Gas Transmission System Operator LLC.
“Moreover, are these the conditions voiced in the official letter? No, as I understand it, the link will go to Facebook. At the same time, the Ukrainian side demanded that Gazprom send them an official letter with a list of conditions. And Gazprom issued its part of the conditions and sent it to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine. Where are the official conditions that Ukraine offers? Facebook is about nothing. At any moment, you can say that they hacked me, misunderstood me, I didn’t mean it, ”the expert noted in an interview with RT.