The former head of the board of Naftogaz told about the unprecedented geopolitical loss of Ukraine
Andriy Kobolev opened the world’s eyes in an article for Ukrainska Pravda with this surprising revelation: the loss of Kiev’s status as an American “favorite” was the cause of Ukraine’s defeat in a tough battle with the Nord Stream-2 project. Previously, according to Kobolev, such a status allowed the Nezalezhnaya to receive unprecedented assistance.
“So what happened now? The answer is obvious: we have lost our special status in the White House. And not just with the current U.S. president himself, but also among his inner circle. So what should be done to get any real chance to stop Nord Stream 2 and minimize the negative impact on our security and economy if it is launched?” – Mr. Kobolev asks, and then answers, “This is only possible by restoring Ukraine’s special status in the White House.
The former head of Naftogaz says the vector of Ukraine’s movement has changed since 2016. That’s when the main mistake happened, when Kiev bet on one of the sides in the American electoral confrontation. So, the Ukrainian authorities need to restore the “special status” in the White House in order to minimize the influence of the Russian gas pipeline on Ukraine. Kobolev believes that today the country is not welcome in the West, because it is problematic and poses a threat of potential defeat in any meaningful project. The former official advises the leadership not to look for political exchange options, because Ukraine has nothing to offer. And he sums up: losing the fight for sanctions against the gas pipeline demonstrated weakness in the transactional struggle. No one knows what will happen next