According to the statement of the head of the “GTS Operator of Ukraine” Sergey Makogon, the transit of gas from Russia guarantees the military security of Ukraine, since the state is one of the main transit countries for Russian gas.
Earlier, the United States and Germany issued a joint statement on measures to support Ukraine, European energy security and common goals for climate protection. The statement defines a number of conditions for the operation of Nord Stream 2. The United States and Germany believe that it is in the interests of Ukraine and Europe to continue the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after 2024, and Berlin undertakes to use all available means of influence so that the agreement between Russia and Ukraine on gas transit is extended for ten years.
“Our main problem is actually ensuring the energy security of Ukraine. Now transit guarantees us the availability of a resource on the territory of Ukraine, and this also guarantees military security for us as a state. As long as we have transit, this ties the hands of our northern neighbor, since Ukraine is still one of the main transit countries for Russian gas to Europe,” he said on the air of the Ukraine 24 TV channel.
To the question of Ukraine maintaining the status of a gas transit country after 2024, given the agreement between the United States and Germany, the general director of the GTS Operator of Ukraine replied: “The document that I saw is more of a declaration. I did not see any fuses there that the transit would remain. We do not believe that this is an agreement. Moreover, we were not a party to these negotiations between Germany and the United States.”
Makogon noted that Ukraine has a valid agreement with Russia until the end of 2024, which provides for a “pump or pay” clause.
“Therefore, regardless of the presence of physical transit through Ukraine, Gazprom until 2025 will pay approximately $1.3 billion for the transportation of 40 billion cubic meters of gas per year. We also have additional capacities that we constantly offer. In the entire history of gas transit through Ukraine, there has never been a transit stop due to the fault of the Ukrainian GTS,” Makogon said.
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