Ukraine gets rid of gas dependence on Russia - U.S. ambassador in Kyiv
KYIV. July 26 (Interfax) - Ukraine has succeeded in getting rid of its dependence on Russia in gas deliveries thus destroying Kremlin's energy weapon, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt said.
The Ukrainian authorities over the past few years have in fact destroyed the energy weapon of Moscow which used gas in this way, Pyatt said at a meeting of the Open the World debate club on the transformations in Ukraine, progress and tasks for the future in Kyiv on Tuesday. Last winter became the first in history when Ukraine got rid of gas dependence, he said.
The diplomat said that Ukraine's national gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy can now buy Russian gas when it finds the price acceptable, but natural gas has ceased to be a manipulation tool. Ukrainians are no longer in a situation when the Kremlin uses energy resources as a weapon, as an instrument of manipulating Ukrainian politicians, so that they should make certain decisions, he said.
Pyatt also said that the Ukrainian energy sector is undergoing serious transformations and that it is very important to bring these changes to completion.