Poland offers to supply coal to Ukraine
KYIV. Oct 12 (Interfax) - Poland will honor its obligations concerning the reverse gas shipments to Ukraine, said Polish Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz.
"Poland will abide by its obligations and continue shipping gas to Ukraine," he said during Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Oleksandr Turchynov's meeting with the leaders of European parliaments in Kyiv on Friday.
Borusewicz said that Russia had cut gas shipments to European countries, which caused Hungary, for instance, to stop reverse gas supplies to Ukraine in late September.
He also said that Poland has a large reserve of coal and offered to discuss this issue with Ukraine. "We have a reserve of about 10 million tonnes of coal. I know you are experiencing shortages of coal. I think this issue should be discussed," Borusewicz said.
Turchynov said that Russia is attempting "to block energy supplies to Ukraine." "I think it is an attempt to use the energy lever in order to influence Ukraine and Europe. But I also think that Russia' joy over the cold winter will be balanced by a drop in oil prices, which will take the smile off their faces," he said.
Concerning the coal, this issue arose after the militia seized territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where Ukraine's most powerful coalmines are located, and after the coal transportation infrastructure was ruined, he said.
"Therefore, alternative energy supplies are important for us in this difficult period. I am convinced that the Ukrainian government will work hard on this, including with fraternal Poland," Turchynov said.
