In a situation where market prices for natural gas are breaking records, Ukraine, having abandoned a direct contract with the Russian "Gazprom", found itself in a disadvantageous and difficult position.

This was stated by the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada from the Batkivshchyna party, the first deputy chairman of the committee on energy and housing and communal services Alexei Kucherenko.

“We, unfortunately, set ourselves up.

And in this situation, I do not exclude that, depending on the temperature in winter, in December-January there may be a situation when there will not be enough gas volumes, "Kucherenko said on the First Independent TV channel.

The parliamentarian suggested that all this could lead to the need to conclude a new direct contract for the supply of fuel with Gazprom.

“I do not exclude that we really, when there is an imbalance, both price and physical, will have to talk about a direct contract,” added Kucherenko.

He also considers it very likely that Ukraine will face problems in the field of electricity production.

"Because there is a shortage of three million tons of coal, and we will have to ask for electricity, do you know from whom?"

- said the deputy.

At the same time, according to RT interlocutors in Ukrainian political circles, the current situation with gas supplies was predictable.

“Ukraine does not buy gas directly from Gazprom, but buys it from European suppliers.

And it is absolutely logical that if the Europeans do not have enough fuel, they will not sell it to the Ukrainians.

But the most interesting thing is that no one will draw conclusions from this situation and the next winter will also come to Ukraine unexpectedly, ”says an RT source in the Ukrainian Cabinet.

Gas claims

Recall that since 2015 Ukraine has been buying Russian gas according to the reverse scheme - from European storage facilities.

Moreover, in 2020, Kiev completely switched to the purchase of fuel from the Russian Federation through the so-called virtual reverse, which means that now about half of the gas destined for Europe is bought by the Ukrainian side, which was previously hindered by the transit contract with Gazprom.

At the same time, the country's authorities and the leadership of Naftogaz have repeatedly stated that direct gas imports from the Russian Federation would threaten the country's sovereignty.

Thus, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmyhal announced at the beginning of 2021 that the republic did not intend to resume gas imports from Russia.

Meanwhile, according to RT's interlocutor at the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry, a direct contract with Gazprom would be extremely beneficial to Ukraine.

“These are both guarantees of gas supply and an opportunity to get a lower price.

But the country's leadership will not agree to this for political reasons.

Consumers will have to pay for this, both by the lack of fuel and high prices, ”the official says.

At the same time, former Minister of Economy of the Republic Viktor Suslov noted that Ukraine is the only European country that has refused a long-term contract with Gazprom and is now forced to buy gas at a market price, which may soon reach $ 1,000 per cubic meter.

According to Suslov, this situation has arisen due to the low competence of the government of the republic and the leadership of Naftogaz.

“Now everything could be fine with us, if not for the gross mistakes made in gas policy, because Zelensky continued this.

Remember his statement that “we cannot buy Russian gas because it is the stinkiest in the world?” The ex-minister said.

Recall that the Ukrainian leader at a meeting with the head of the US Department of Energy Jennifer Grenholm during his visit to the United States called Russian gas "the dirtiest in the world."

Then Zelensky explained the allegedly low quality of gas from the Russian Federation by methane emissions during production and transportation, as well as "corruption, blackmail and manipulation."

  • President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and United States Energy Secretary Jennifer Grenholm

  • © president.gov.ua

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, commenting on this statement of the Ukrainian president, noted that it was not made with great intelligence.

“Now Ukrainian colleagues are practicing some kind of verbal balancing act: they think that Russia is their original name.

They say that the baptism of Rus is just a Ukrainian holiday, and so on.

It is sad.

President Zelensky himself makes some statements that our gas is the dirtiest in the world.

In general, this is not of great intelligence, to be honest, ”the minister said.

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the SPIEF in June, noted that from an environmental point of view, Russian gas is just the cleanest in the world.

“Our source, it is the cleanest in the world, because with the help of hydraulic fracturing, for example, the American gas industry produces about 70% of gas.

Gazprom - 11%, but what is produced for Nord Stream 2 is swinging out of the ground, there is no hydraulic fracturing at all.

And hydraulic fracturing is, from an environmental point of view, a catastrophic method of production.

There are tens and hundreds of tons of chemicals, direct damage to the environment is caused, ”the Russian president explained.

He noted that it was the quality of gas from the Russian Federation that became one of the reasons why Moscow's European partners fought to complete the construction of the gas pipeline, despite the pressure from the United States.

“Do you think why our partners are fighting for him so?

To do something pleasant for us?

They are fighting for their national interests.

This is what they are fighting for, ”said Vladimir Putin.

Market situation

Statements about the unfavorable situation in the country's energy sector were made by Ukrainian politicians against the backdrop of a rapid rise in world prices for natural gas.

Since the beginning of the year, its cost has surpassed the $ 800 per cubic meter mark, and last week, during trading on the ICE exchange, it exceeded the $ 950 level.

Market analysts note that the rise in prices is due to strong demand for fuel in the context of low storage capacity in Europe.

The rise in gas prices has already affected Ukrainian consumers.

Thus, according to local media reports, the Odessa Port Plant - one of the largest fertilizer producers in Europe - had to suspend production due to high gas prices.

“They stopped urea, tomorrow they will stop production of ammonia.

Further prospects are unclear.

The fact that there will be no awards is already an obvious fact.

But further it can be worse, "- the newspaper" Strana.ua "quotes the words of the plant's employees.

  • Odessa port plant in the city of Yuzhnoye, Odessa region

  • RIA News

  • © Sergey Polyakov

According to the company's employees, the rise in energy prices makes its products uncompetitive.

According to a RT source in the Batkivshchyna party, the inevitable rise in gas prices for consumers will be further proof that Zelensky is not able to fulfill the promises made to voters.

“Zelensky promised that the standard of living of the population would rise and the war in the east would end.

But we do not see any of this.

And when, due to the shortage of gas and its high price, the last industrial enterprise in the country stops, this will probably be his best "achievement," the deputy stressed.

Political analyst Alexander Dudchak, for his part, stressed that the current situation was the result of the actions of the Kiev authorities.

“In general, Gazprom is not against the signing of a new agreement, and if Kiev wants to receive gas directly, then this is possible.

However, it is not very clear whether the Zelensky administration has enough professionalism and foresight to take such a step, because everything is motivated by political considerations, ”the expert explained.

The criticism of the authorities by Ukrainian politicians is absolutely justified, says Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State Pedagogical University.

“Kiev, instead of having mutually beneficial relations with Russia in the field of gas supply and gas transit, chose the confrontational path, which led to the fact that Ukraine not only lost a significant part of its income, but also seriously arose the problem that the country could find itself in a crisis state due to high gas prices and the impossibility of supplying the population, "the political scientist said in a conversation with RT.

According to him, the Ukrainian authorities are pursuing a thoughtless policy of momentary decisions, without calculating the geopolitical, geo-economic and social consequences.

“This led the country to a dead end.

Ukrainian statesmen who take such steps do not think about tomorrow, moreover, they do not think about today, since these decisions may already be fatal for the Ukrainian economy, "the expert emphasized.

At the same time, Kiev should not harbor groundless hopes that the European Union will help it get out of this situation, Shapovalov said.

“Ukraine, first of all, will rely on its Western partners, but this hope is absolutely groundless, because all that it received from them in terms of gas policy was Russian gas, which was sold to it at an inflated price.

In conditions when Europe is experiencing a shortage of this type of fuel, as evidenced by high prices, it makes no sense for Ukraine to think that someone will help it, ”the analyst concluded.