Ukraine Warns Russia (and Europe) of "Full Scale War" When Gas Pipeline Contract Expires
27
April, 2018
Ukraine
has threatened Russia with a full-scale conflict if there are cuts to
Kiev’s Gazprom gas transits through the territory of Ukraine.
“The likelihood of a full-scale conflict between Russian and
Ukraine,” is increasing, and European nations should be aware
of the geopolitical consequences for the whole world, said the
commercial director at Ukraine’s main gas company.
Kiev
has warned Moscow of “geopolitical consequences” if the gas
ceases. “If
there is no transit through the territory of Ukraine, then the
likelihood of a full-scale conflict between Russia and Ukraine is
also increasing. European
politicians need to understand not only the economic consequences for
Ukraine but also geopolitical
consequences for the whole world,” the
commercial director at Ukraine’s main gas company Naftogaz Yuri
Vitrenko told
the 112 Ukraine
TV channel.
According
to RT, the
gas-transit contract between Kiev and Moscow expires
in 2019and
Gazprom said on Tuesday that the
contract will not be extended under any circumstances. The
company added that the gas transit may remain, but only if Ukraine
provides the necessary conditions for it. “Now
the ball is on the Ukrainian side. It should justify the economic
attractiveness and the possibility of transit through Ukraine,” said
Gazprom Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee Aleksandr
Medvedev.
Russia
wants to significantly cut its gas transit through Ukraine and
re-direct it through the extension of the existing Nord
Stream pipeline from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Moscow
has alleged that Kiev has proved itself an unreliable partner in gas
transits over the years. Moscow has repeatedly said Ukraine will lose
its status as a key transit hub to Europe once the gas-transit
contract expires. Russia wants to bypass Ukraine by doubling the
capacity of the Nord Stream pipeline under the Baltic Sea.
Some
of the gas to Europe could also come
through the Turkish Stream pipeline, currently under construction.
When the two pipelines mentioned are completed, transit
through Ukraine is expected to fall by more than 80
percent, according
to Gazprom CEO Aleksey Miller.
When
that decrease takes place, Ukraine will LOSE 80% of the revenue it
gets from taxing that gas; thus Bankrupting the Ukrainian government.
He
added that Gazprom does not intend to help neighboring countries
restore their economies at its expense.
Kiev’s
threats for a full-scale conflict with Russia do not appear to be
affecting how Gazprom is altering the gas-transits
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