Ukrainian opposition politician calls for talks on direct gas import from Russia – Business & Economy

KIEV, January 4. / TASS /. Now that they have understood that there is no alternative to Russian natural gas, Ukrainian authorities should start negotiations on its direct import, said the head of the political council of the Opposition Platform party. for life, Viktor Medvedchuk, following the CEO of Naftogaz, Yuri Vitrenko admitted that there were problems with the diversification of gas supplies.

“Kiev seems to have come to its senses, to have realized or decided to recognize that for many years Ukraine has consumed Russian gas purchased from third parties – allegedly from European suppliers – and that there is no alternative to Russian fuel. If the Ukrainian authorities are really concerned about the energy security of the country, their next step should be a fundamental review of the approaches aimed at securing the gas supply from the economic and strategic interests of Ukraine itself, ”a Medvedchuk said in a statement posted on the party’s website.

Medvedchuk recalled Vitrenko’s warning that Ukrainian ports lacked terminals capable of accommodating LNG carriers.

“In addition, the delivery of this gas to Ukraine is a big problem. As for the possibility of buying gas from American exporters, Vitrenko rejected this option as” a financial game incapable of solving the problem of energy security. from the country”.

He urged Kiev to refrain from political speculation on this issue and to act exclusively in the interest of the state.

“First, to achieve an uninterrupted flow of gas at a reasonable price, without paying a huge margin to European brokers, Kiev would have to start negotiations on direct purchases of gas from Russia,” Medvedchuk said. He also argues that the Ukrainian authorities should start talks on preserving the transit of Russian gas to Europe and seriously address the issue of the creation of a trilateral gas pipeline consortium, debated for many years.

Medvedchuk is certain that the time has come for the authorities to restore bilateral relations with Russia and revise the energy strategy to adapt it to the real market situation and to the interests of Ukraine and its people before it not be too late.