Ukraine says Russian gas supplies during winter not crucial

KIEV, Dec 6 (PRIME) -- Supplies of Russian gas are preferable, but not crucially necessary for Ukraine to go through the winter period, energy holding Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Andrei Kobolev told local TV channel 3STV late Monday.

Ukraine currently has 13.7 billion cubic meters in its underground storage facilities, and the amount is sufficient for the winter period, he said.

“We believe these gas reserves will be sufficient, even if something happens, and certainly not due to a fault of the minister, but due to someone else’s fault gas fuel oil units will be switched on and Naftogaz will supply gas to all categories of consumers. That’s why gas is sufficient, it would be good to have a contract with (Russian gas giant) Gazprom, but not crucial,” he said.

Ukraine may still have slightly less than 8 billion cubic meters in the storages after the heating season, Kobolev said.

Naftogaz Ukrainy is ready to buy gas from Gazprom if the price is favorable and an additional agreement to the current contract is signed, he said.

“We say that if Gazprom makes us an offer, which we expect from it concerning the price, terms of supplies and the most important – signing of an agreement, then yes (we are ready to buy),” Kobolev said.

Kiev expects to agree on terms of the so-called gas winter package during a trilateral E.U.–Russia–Ukraine meeting in Brussels on Friday, Kobolev said.

He also said that Naftogaz Ukrainy is currently considering three ways to contest the European Commission’s decision to expand Gazprom’s access to Germany’s OPAL pipeline, including in court.

An amicable agreement between Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy on a dispute that is currently being considered in the Stockholm Arbitration Court is not possible, Kobolev also said.

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