Gazprom CEO, German govt commissioner mull Ukrainian gas deal

MOSCOW, Nov 6 (PRIME) -- Russian gas giant Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and German Federal Government Commissioner for gas transit through Ukraine Georg Graf Waldersee have discussed cooperation between Gazprom and Ukraine after 2020 and the terms of a bundle agreement between the parties, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Alexei Miller has paid attention to the fact that a bunch of crucial issues must be solved before conclusion of a new transit contract. The primary issue is settlement of legal disputes between Gazprom and the Ukrainian side… The second important thing is Ukraine’s readiness for direct gas purchases from Russian from 2020 and the volumes of such purchases,” the statement read.

Miller also reiterated that his company is ready to prolong the current delivery contract temporarily if Ukraine fails to adapt its gas market for the E.U.’s legislation until January 1, 2020.

Ukraine stopped direct purchases of Russian gas in 2015. The current gas supply and transit contract between Russia and Ukraine expire at the end of 2019.

Gazprom also said that a new gas contract with Ukraine is possible only if both sides renounce their mutual claims in the gas sphere including Ukraine’s U.S. $7 billion antimonopoly fine against Gazprom.

“(The deal) means that Gazprom and (Ukraine’s state energy holding) Naftogaz Ukrainy should mutually renounce their legal claims concerning deliveries and transit of Russian gas to recover balance of the sides’ commercial interests,” the statement read.

“It also involves cancellation of the Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee’s decision to impose a fine for Gazprom’s alleged abuse of its monopoly position on Ukraine’s gas transit market and recovery of the company’s infringed property rights in the country.”

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