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Ukraine has offered the Russian Federation, in particular the Russian energy company Gazprom, a discount on natural gas supplies to Europe to alleviate the energy crisis in the region.
This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, UA reports with reference to Bloomberg.
Additional opportunities are offered to all potential transit countries.
“We would like to see European companies as customers, but Gazprom also has these additional opportunities. And given the current transit tariff, I assume that this discount will be 50%” – Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine is now discussing a proposal to transport gas with Berlin and Brussels.
“We expect that they will soon take steps in practical negotiations on this issue, which is certainly important for the entire Europe” – the head of state noted.
He stressed that Ukraine, for its part, guarantees transit, guarantees special anti-crisis conditions for transit in excess of the stipulated volumes. The discount applies to natural gas volumes exceeding the agreed 40 billion cubic meters per day, which Ukraine already transports to Europe from Russia.
According to “Radio Liberty”, Adviser to the Minister of Energy Olena Zerkal commented on the proposed discount on gas, noting that it was a “smart move” aimed at helping Europe and Ukraine to “get through this critical winter”.
According to the adviser to the Minister, while the level of gas in European storage facilities is 86% of normal indexes. And the level of gas in Gazprom’s storage facilities is 25%. And if Gazprom actually has gas, and it’s not just words, then they have the opportunity to fill their gas storage facilities, as well as provide Europe with the gas they said they were ready to swing through Nord Stream-2, and not press and blackmail Europe with it” – Zerkal said.
Speaking about how economically profitable it is for Ukraine to transport gas at a lower price, the adviser to the Minister of Energy pointed out that it is not so much about the economy as about politics.
To remind, because of reduction of volumes of supply of the Russian gas in Europe there was an energy crisis. Prices for natural gas reached $2,000 for 1000 cubic meters instead of the expected 300-400 dollars, with the maximum being 500-600 dollars.
According to Bloomberg, Russia has announced its readiness to increase gas supplies to Europe in exchange for the launch of Nord Stream-2. According to sources close to Gazprom and the Kremlin, Moscow now has no desire to do the EU a “service” in the form of supplying additional volumes of gas to cover the deficit. Europe will receive fuel only after the certification of the Russian gas pipeline, which bypasses Ukraine.
Read also: The expert listed ways to protect Europe from Russian gas blackmail
