Gazprom is boosting gas pumping via Ukraine’s gas transmission system and is likely to exceed its contract obligations, but it will not be profitable to increase pumping even further, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting on the development of the energy sector.
“We are seeing all kinds of speculation on the topic of Ukraine’s gas transmission system, on supplies through it; I would also like to note that here now. Our contact obligations for supplies through Ukraine’s gas transmission system are 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and in 9M this year, Gazprom increased these supplies, this pumping, to be more precise, through the Ukrainian transmission system more than 8%. We can say with confidence that we will exceed our contract obligations for gas supplies through the territory of Ukraine. It is unprofitable for Gazprom to increase them further, because it is more expensive. Pumping through the new systems is significantly cheaper, by around $3 billion per year against corresponding supply volumes,” Putin said.