MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga ruled out Russian gas transit via his country even in the context of delivering it to the unrecognized Republic of Transnistria.
Ukraine’s European Pravda daily, which interviewed the Kiev government’s top diplomat, asked whether Kiev was ready to permit gas deliveries to Transnistria via the Trans-Balkan pipeline that runs through its territory.
"This question requires further study, but I believe that Russian gas transit is totally unacceptable," Sibiga said.
When the correspondent explained that the question was about a joint Ukrainian and European Union effort to help Transnistria, the foreign minister emphasized that Kiev had repeatedly declared that no Russian gas shall run through Ukraine’s territory, and he had no plans of reconsidering the matter.
"Indeed, we informed the European side about our stance [during the EU summit]. This position remains unchanged," he added.
Gas supplies to Moldova were interrupted in early January after Kiev banned Russian gas transit via its territory. Meanwhile, Chisinau refused to repay its gas debt to Russia, estimated by the Russian side at $709 million. Since unlike Moldova, Transnistria has no other gas sources, it had to cut centralized heating and hot water supplies to residential houses and halt industrial enterprises. Rolling blackouts followed.
Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky said after talks in Moscow that Russia would resume Russia will supply gas to serve the essential needs of Transnistria as humanitarian assistance. He did not specify how long this humanitarian gas arrangement would stay in place. "As for the route, payment, transit - this is all being negotiated, it is too early to give any answers," the Transnistrian leader added.