Ukrainian Prime Minister promises that Ukraine would achieve energy independence from Russia
In a statement published on the Ukrainian government web site, The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Groysman stated that his country will refuse to import Russian gas and will stop “bowing” to Russia now that Ukraine has its own reserves.
Groysman said he always wondered why Ukraine bought Russian gas despite the former having second and third natural gas reserves. “Once December used to come, the government bowed its head, bent a knee, and crawled to Moscow to negotiate the gas price and transit,” the Prime Minister exclaimed in outrage.
Groysman asserted that reaffirming energy independence was an important task for Ukraine. He noted that in recent years, Ukrainian mining has been abandoned and closed. The Prime Minister stated that Ukraine will open data on mineral and gas reserves, attract business there “based on transparent auctions,” will start its own production and will refuse to import gas.
“Once we refuse to import [gas], we will immediately reduce gas rates and will not be influenced by the international conjuncture. Here is our strategic objective, not any handouts and discounts, but a systemic final price reduction,” he said.
Groysman is convinced that Ukraine will be able to extract enough gas for both population and industry. He promised to open all geopolitical data on gas reserves and to announce the auctions. According to him, there are 44 areas with reserves of 150 billion cubic meters of gas that need investments and new technologies.
The first round of talks regarding the extension of transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after 2019 took place in July. The launch of the Russian gas pipeline project Nord Stream 2 is scheduled to take place by the end of 2019.