7 May 2014

Russia considers that Europe should share responsibility for the creation of gas reserves in Ukraine

At the trilateral consultations that took place in in Warsaw on 2 May, Yuriy Prodan, the Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister, said that his country could not guarantee the storage of necessary amounts of gas during summer for further transit to Europe.

One third of the EU’s gas import needs are met by Russia, and almost half of that transits Ukraine, which at the moment finds itself in a pricing dispute with Russian gas exporter Gazprom. According to Reuters, Gazprom says Kiev is already in debt, owing USD 3.5 billion for gas that has already been delivered. Russia’s Energy Minister, Alexander Novak, stated that the European Commission has confirmed both the debt and the need to resolve the issue.

According to Alexander Novak, Europe bears equal responsibility for ensuring that the needed amount of gas transitions through Ukraine to Europe. He thinks that the situation is unacceptable and urgent measures need to be taken not only by Ukraine but by the EU as well. In Mr. Novak’s view, the latter is also interested and bears equal responsibility for ensuring that the needed amount of gas transitions through Ukraine to Europe in necessary amounts. Novak said that Ukraine’s storage sites will need to store at least 18.5 billion cubic meters of gas in the coming winter, while at present, according to Russian estimates, the sites contain an amount between merely 4 and 6 billion.

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Source: Reuters | EU should help Ukraine fill gas storage - agencies cite Russian minister
Source: The Voice of Russia | Ukraine has no right to unilaterally revise gas price – Russian energy minister
Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency | Ukraine can’t guarantee gas storage and transit to Europe - Russian minister

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