Putin: Russia can still transit gas via Ukraine to EU after 2019

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST, Feb 2 (PRIME) -- Russian gas transit to the E.U. across Ukraine can continue after 2019 if this is economically reasonable, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

“We are not setting any goals of a political nature regarding gas transit across Ukraine. If this is economically viable, if this is safe, we do not rule out continuation of transit of a certain amount across Ukraine. The issue is in diversification and economic viability of all these routes. We are studying all opportunities,” Putin said.

Russia has removed the political component from the issue of new gas supply routes to Europe but it needs warrants which could prevent losses, Putin also said.

“We are making these issues absolutely non-political. The issue is of a purely economic nature, of economic viability, first of all. No routes are ruled out. We are ready to come back to whatever. We are not going to resent Bulgaria or any other states for their not finding courage to oppose decisions of the European Commission back then,” Putin said.

Russia scrapped the South Stream project in 2014 because of protests by the European authorities.

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