Ukraine again calls on Russia to resume gas transit talks immediately
Ukraine proposes not waiting until September to begin talks regarding a new contract on the transit of Russian gas on the basis of the terms set out by European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic, Naftogaz Ukrainy Executive Officer Yuriy Vitrenko wrote on Facebook.
"If the Russian side also agrees [with the proposal set forth by Sefcovic], we can start working on contracts on the practical implementation of this alternative right away," Vitrenko wrote on Facebook.
There should be an interconnection agreement for capacity totaling 90 billion cubic meters a year and an agreement on reserving an average of 60 bcm a year in capacity (or swapping) for 10 years, he wrote.
All of the terms will be standard for European agreements, so there should be no doubts about their economic rationale, Vitrenko wrote.
"If the Russian side doesn't agree with Sefcovic's alternative, it would be interesting to hear why, and to hear a counterproposal," he wrote.
It is in no one's interest to drag out the process, since Europe is tired of dealing with constant problems affecting Russian gas deliveries. Ukraine needs clarity regarding transit, in part to put an end to political speculation in this regard, and Russia would do well to avoid being blamed for another gas crisis, Vitrenko wrote.
At a joint press conference with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, in Konigswinter on July 18, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that "Russia is ready to come to terms on preserving supplies by the Ukrainian route and is open to reaching agreements on this issue on terms that are economically substantiated and realizable in practice."