Report: Naftogaz Ukrainy ready for gas transit talks with Russia

KIEV, Dec 23 (PRIME) -- Ukrainian gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy is ready to negotiate prolongation of a gas transit deal with Russian gas giant Gazprom after 2024, CEO Yury Vitrenko told RBC Ukraine on Thursday.

"It will depend on Gazprom whether the negotiations take place. We are ready," Vitrenko said.

He said that the company will do this not because it is eager to cooperate with Russia, but because this is an issue of national security, as the deal could stop a potential full-scale war. Vitrenko also said that Gazprom might not be interested in the deal after the launch of Nord Stream 2.

Russia and Ukraine signed a gas transit deal in 2019, envisaging pumping of 65 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in the first year of contract and 40 bcm every successive year.

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