“Obviously, hydrogen ideas cannot be equal compensation.

These are different areas of cooperation with the EU.

The only acceptable option for us is a new contract for gas transit for 45-50 billion cubic meters of gas per year for the next 15 years with financial guarantees from European banks or companies, ”Makogon said in an interview with liga.net.

He also noted that if, after the launch of Nord Stream 2, the transit of gas through Ukraine stops, "technologically, nothing terrible will happen." 

“The GTS will work, but only for the needs of Ukrainian consumers.

Do not forget that Ukraine consumes 30 billion cubic meters of gas and produces 20 billion cubic meters.

Some "experts" say: "The pressure in the pipe will drop."

This is complete nonsense.

We can work without transit, ”he said.

Makogon added that the capacities of the Ukrainian GTS "far exceed the current transit volumes," and in order to reduce the cost of maintaining the system, it will need to be optimized.

“Transit now brings us 80% of our income.

Therefore, without timely optimization of the GTS and reduction of operating costs, the tariff for gas transportation (please do not confuse it with the price of gas and gas distribution services) can grow 2-4 times, ”said the head of the company.

According to him, the operator is currently working on the optimization of the GTS and plans to decommission 33 compressor shops.

“In case of a complete stop of transit, a number of additional compressor stations will be additionally decommissioned.

But the order of their output is rather complicated and requires a large number of approvals and permissions.

We are doing this now, ”Makogon stressed.

In December 2019, Kiev and Moscow agreed on a transit contract for five years, during which about 225 billion cubic meters of Russian gas will be transported through the Ukrainian GTS.

According to the agreement, in 2020 the transit volume was 65 billion cubic meters, and in 2021-2024 - 40 billion cubic meters each.

As noted in the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian side has no task to suspend gas supplies through Ukraine, and Russia has never used energy and its natural resources as an element of pressure or blackmail.

At the same time, Naftogaz Ukrainy emphasized that the launch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline threatens to lose the country's revenues from transit, as well as the loss of the “security component”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Moscow is ready to load the Ukrainian gas transportation system in the future after the expiration of the transit contract, if an agreement is reached with Kiev.