Russian gas transit via Ukraine may continue after 2024 only under an agreement with importers, Ukrainian Ambassador to Moldova Marko Shevchenko said.
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"Ukraine is not going to initiate talks on an extension of the Russian gas transit contract after 2024 but remains open to proposals from partner countries. The reason is clear: we [...] have severed diplomatic relations with Russia. We are waiting for the position of Gazprom or Russian authorities," Shevchenko said in an interview with the Vocea Basarabiei television channel on Friday.
"Ukraine is open to any situation in terms of transit, because presently, natural gas goes in transit across Ukraine to Moldova, including Transdniestria."
Transit may be extended if interested countries themselves sign contracts with the Russian company for gas supplies and with the Ukrainian side for gas transit.
"For instance, Ukraine can have a transit contract with Germany, with Poland, with Moldova provided that companies there buy gas [from Russia] and decide that they will have gas transported via Ukraine, why not?
"We will not have a contract with Russia but will have a contract, for example, with the Republic of Moldova.
"Again, I'm not an expert, this is solely my personal opinion and the biggest problem is that nobody can predict now what the situation is going to be like in an hour, let alone tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, just in one hour. [...] Things that can radically change the situation happen every day," he said.
The diplomat also answered a question as to why Ukraine is continuing transit of Russian gas, being in a state of conflict with Russia.
"Because we have a contract, we have customers, our allies in the West are benefiting from this contract, and we don't want a situation where they lose money because of Ukraine," he said.
On December 30, 2019, Ukraine's Naftogaz Ukrainy and Gazprom signed a contract for the organization of gas transportation.
The Ukrainian holding signed a transport agreement with Ukraine's Gas Transport System Operator (OGTSU), and the latter concluded an inter-operator agreement with Gazprom on the same day. ■