Ukraine offered to leave the energy community

On the eve of Kholodov, another ultimatum put the Russian Gazprom to Ukraine. Yesterday, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov made it clear that in order to obtain cheaper gas, Ukraine should leave the European Energy Community.

Membership in the energy community gave Ukraine the opportunity to directly sell gas and electricity to the end consumers of the European Union. According to Yuri Boyko, Minister of Fuel and Energy, such a step reflects Ukraine’s desire to build the principles of Ukrainian energy policy along with the European Union.

However, the membership of Ukraine in this union is the main obstacle to the creation of the International Gas Transport Consortium on the Management of the Ukrainian Gas Transport System with the participation of RAO Gazprom. This opinion of the Russian side was voiced by the ambassador Mikhail Zurabov. “This is absolutely unacceptable for the Russian monopoly,” said Mikhail Zurabov.

"The idea of ​​reducing gas value by creating a gas consortium cannot develop until all obstacles will be eliminated until Ukraine leaves the European Energy Union," the ambassador noted. If this is not done, then it is necessary to start negotiations on a new scheme for reducing gas prices, added Mikhail Zurabov.

Recall that recently, the Ukrainian side has been actively discussing the idea of ​​creating a gas consortium, which may be either Russia and Ukraine, or Russia, Ukraine and gas consumers in Europe, for example, one of the German companies.