All news

Ukraine plans further decrease of Russian gas share in energy balance

It’s necessary to pump "maximum gas at the lowest possible price" to Ukraine’s gas storage facilities from Europe during summer season, prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says

KIEV, February 4. /TASS/. Ukraine intends to further decrease the share of Russian gas in its energy balance, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Wednesday at a government meeting.

"I demand a gradual further decrease of Russian gas share in Ukraine’s gas balance," he said, adding that the gas imports from Russia should be decreased, while the volumes of reverse gas supplies should be increased.

Prime Minister said that it’s necessary to pump "maximum gas at the lowest possible price" to Ukraine’s gas storage facilities from Europe during summer season when prices for reverse gas range from $250 to $300 for 1,000 cubic meters.

Yatsenyuk added that Kiev will work "on an arm's length basis" in terms of gas imports. "We implement the gas contracts that we signed, so we work and will be working on an arm's length basis."

Earlier TASS reported that Ukraine’s imports of reserve gas in 2015 might account for up to 60% of the total volume. Last year Gazprom supplied 14.5 billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine, down from 25.8 billion delivered in 2013. Reverse gas imports totaled 5.1 billion cubic meters in 2014.