Ukraine is ready to extend the transit of Russian gas through its gas transportation system (GTS) at the initiative of the European Union countries, but will not extend the current contract or sign a new one with Gazprom, Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said at a press conference in Kiev on Monday.
“We are certainly not going to negotiate with the aggressor country to extend (the transit contract) and put our signatures under the agreement, but we have had repeated talks with European leaders on the basis of the European Commission. If European countries will act as a consortium or one of the European partners will act as a transit company for its own gas, we are ready to provide such a service. Here the initiative is on the side of the EU and our European partners,” he said.
“Group, association, consortium… It could be the EC, a group of European countries that are interested in preserving transit,” Shmygal specified.
At the same time, according to the Prime Minister, the GTS of Ukraine is ready to function without the transit of Russian natural gas.
As reported, the transit of Russian natural gas through the gas transportation system (GTS) of Ukraine in 2023 decreased by 28.4% (by 5 billion 812.6 million cubic meters) compared to 2022 – to 14 billion 646.6 million cubic meters.
The contract between Naftohaz Ukrainy and Gazprom for the organization of transportation, the transportation agreement between NAK and OGTSU, as well as the inter-operator agreement between OGTSU and Gazprom were signed on December 30, 2019. The contract provides for transit of 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year in 2021-2024.
