Gazprom CEO: Stockholm starts forming arbiter panel in Ukraine spat

ST. PETERSBURG, Jun 29 (PRIME) -- The Stockholm arbitration court has started forming an arbiter panel for consideration of Russian gas giant Gazprom’s suit demanding cancellation of contracts with Ukraine’s Naftogaz Ukrainy, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said in a news conference on Friday.

“I would like to inform you that the Stockholm arbitration court has started formation of a panel on Gazprom’s suit regarding cancellation of the current contract,” he said.

Sweden’s court of appeal has issued an order to suspend enforcement of the Stockholm court’s ruling on the transit of Russian natural gas via Ukraine. “So, no one can enforce decisions made by the Stockholm arbitration court on the transit contract as of today. The decisions of the Stockholm court on…the gas supply and transit contracts were asymmetric and significantly violated the balance of the sides,” he said.

So far, Gazprom has not received any constructive offers from Ukraine about further cooperation.

“First, the balance of interests of the sides has to be restored. How can we achieve that? It may happen through changes or cancellation of the decision of the Stockholm court by the court of appeal, or Ukraine may make some constructive suggestions. We have not heard any constructive suggestions from Ukraine so far,” he said.

He also said that Gazprom did not ask for state support after Ukraine had tried to enforce recovery of U.S. $2.56 billion.

The Stockholm arbitration court ruled earlier in 2018 that Gazprom must pay Naftogaz Ukrainy $2.56 billion for non-shipment of gas. Gazprom said that the decision led to an imbalance in relations of the companies and requested termination of gas transit and delivery contracts with Ukraine. Gazprom said on June 14 that a court of appeals suspended a ruling of the Stockholm arbitration court in a gas transit case with Ukraine.

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