Gazprom preserve gas transit through Ukraine in the amount of 10-15 bln cubic meters per year, if the Ukrainian party proves the economic efficiency of a new contract, CEO of Russian concern Alexei Miller said, RIA News reports.
We never posed a question about refusal of Ukrainian transit. However, the Russian resource base moves to the north, there will not just be any resources in previous volumes in the central gas transport corridor, Miller emphasized.
“Therefore, some transit can be preserved, in the volume of 10-15 billion cubic meters per year, but the Ukrainian party should justify the economic efficiency of a new contract for transit”, he noted.
Commercial Director of Naftogaz Yuri Vitrenko stated that the company plans to file lawsuits to European courts, in order to seize Gazprom’s assets, as it does not execute the ruling of Stockholm arbitration court.
CEO of Naftogaz of Ukraine NJSC Andrei Kobolev emphasized that the termination of Russian gas transit through Ukraine will cause damage to the country economy, amounting to USD 3.5 billion.
On February 28, the Stockholm arbitration court satisfied Naftogaz’s claims about the compensation for undersupplied gas volumes for transit.
According to the arbitration court ruling, Naftogaz obtained compensation, amounting to USD 4.63 bln for undersupplied gas volumes for transit. As per results of two arbitration proceedings in Stockholm, Gazprom should pay USD 2.56 bln in favor of Naftogaz.
Later, it became known that Gazprom submitted appeal to Stockholm arbitration court ruling on the case of gas supplies; in regard to the proceeding on gas transit, the appeal will be submitted by late March 2018.
It also became known that the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine developed a plan, through which it plans to collect USD 2.6 billion from Russia’s Gazprom according to Stockholm arbitration court ruling.
In late March, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom Alexander Medvedev stated that Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine started negotiation about termination of gas supply and transit contracts.
Naftogaz stated that Gazprom continues refusing from fulfilling final and binding rulings of the arbitrators in two commercial disputes with Naftogaz and suggested introducing amendments to contracts or terminate them – and thus cancel the tribunal ruling.