European Commission Needs Long-Term Gas Transit from Russia through Ukraine

The European Commission wants to preserve the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine in the long term, said Vice-President for the Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič. “Ensuring long-term transit through Ukraine is strategically important for the energy security of the European Union,” he said. Maroš Šefčovič announced that the next round of Trateral Gas Talks to be held on 19 September in Brussels. The current contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine expires at the end of 2019. Previous tripartite Trateral Gas Talks between Russia, the European Commission and Ukraine took place in July in Berlin. Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Alexander Novak in July commented on the results of trateral negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission, where the parties discussed the issue of continuing the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to the EU countries. In an interview with Russia 24 TV channel, the head of the Russian Ministry of Energy noted that the main condition for continued gas supplies through Ukrainian territory after 2020 is the settlement of ongoing litigation. Alexander Novak called constructive the trateral talks held in Berlin. The next stage of negotiations will be held in October 2019. vestifinance