If Russia-EU-Ukraine deal on gas honored, risk of Ukraine siphoning off transit gas low - Russian energy minister
MOSCOW. March 21 (Interfax) - If Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union abide by the agreements they reached in Brussels on March 20, the risk that Ukraine might siphon off Russian gas transported across its territory to Europe will be very low, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview shown on the Rossia-24 news television channel on Saturday.
"If the agreements are honored, I believe the risk that transit gas may be siphoned off is minimal," he said.
The main point at these negotiations was Ukraine's obligations on pumping the necessary amount of gas to its underground gas storage facilities, he said.
"We discussed the necessary volumes of gas to be pumped into the underground storage facilities, and we discussed that Ukraine should assume these obligations. This is necessary to go through the winter, so that there are the necessary financial resources for this," he said.
"Russia is prepared to supply the necessary amounts [of gas], but Russia believes that it is right to work and live in line with a contract and that it is right to receive payment for gas supplied rather than supply gas the way it did last year, when Ukraine received gas actually for several months without paying for it because it was disputing the price," he added.
The European Commission has committed to do what it can to assist Ukraine in finding the necessary financial resources to pay for gas, he said.
"The winter package has shown that the parties have honored their obligations in general, and risks could arise if not enough gas is pumped into the underground storage facilities by October," Novak said.
