Russia willing to work on gas with Ukraine under both European and Ukrainian law – minister
There are still risks that Ukraine will not manage to properly hammer out legislation concerning natural gas in time and Russia is prepared to ensure the extension of the existing gas transit contract to 2020 as a backup option, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on TV channel Rossiya 24 after talks in Brussels on Monday.
"Risks remain that the Ukrainian side will not manage to properly straighten out legislation regarding the gas issue, and as a backup option we are prepared to ensure the extension of the gas transit contract that is in effect now for 2020. But if our Ukrainian colleagues will be ready to work under European legislation, we're also prepared to ensure transit of gas to Ukraine under this legislation starting in 2020," Novak said.
"We confirmed once again that it's necessary to decide in a package, in general agreements simultaneously, including issues concerning the settlement of legal disputes that are currently an important component of relations between Gazprom and Ukrainian partners. This is an important issue, so that starting in 2020 relations are conducted without the disputes that are now in court," Novak said.
"We also discussed issues concerning gas supplies to Ukraine. We see that our partners are willing, including on direct gas supplies starting in 2020. Specific figures will be discussed going forward," Novak said.
"There are a number of other issues that need to be discussed. We agreed to work intensively between our companies, including on the method of pricing that was just published Friday on a website in Ukraine. We agreed that they will soon give us in English the necessary documents that concern changes to legislation in Ukraine's legal and regulatory framework, what concerns implementation. And in general work will be continued," Novak said.
"The next consultations will be at the end of November. We are positively disposed. In my view, the meeting was fairly constructive, since we saw that all parties are intent on being constructive. There are, of course, issues and risks. We will tackle them together," Novak said.
