Ukrainian national concern Naftohaz signed a two month contract with German RWE company to buy gas from Russia from Germany and Poland. The Ukraine's energetic isolation and the importance of Kyiv for EU energetic security
An energetic alliance with Germany and Poland will allow Ukraine to import Russian gas from west instead from east. On Wednesday 10/31 Ukrainian national concern Naftohaz agreed with the German RWE company about a 57 mcm of gas import in Ukraine via Poland since the First of November till the First of January.
According to Dzerkalo Tyzhnya Ukrainian newspaper, the contract was anticipated by a previous agreement between Ukrainian company Ukrtranshaz and Polish Gaz System.
The two companies, which manage respectively Ukraine and Poland's national pipelines, established the possibility to change Ukrainian pipeline's direction in order to carry in Ukraine gas from the west - and no more from the east, as actually Ukraine does.
The decision to buy Russian gas from a German company is a result of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's energetic policy after gas supplies contract between Ukraine and Russian national major Gazprom expired.
After Russia proposed high cost for Gazprom gas, Ukrainian authorities decreased Russian gas import to 23 bcm per year, and opted for a limited-time contract with German RWE company.
At the same time, Ukrainian Minister of Energy Yuri Boyko increased coal and oil use for Ukrainian industries.
After the Nordstream pipeline's realization - a pipeline build by Gazprom in order to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany, bypassing Central Europe countries - and the Southstream project - a pipeline planed under the Black Sea to carry Russian gas directly to Southtern-Easter Europe bypassing Ukraine - Ukraine is no more the main Russian gas' country of transit.
Moreover, Kyiv lost the possibility to use its geographical fundamental position to obtain from Russia a discount on gas supplies' prices.
According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, the Ukrainian energetic isolation - which coincides with President Yanukovych's political isolation after the opposition's Leader Yulia Tymoshenko political arrest - could be avoided just by Kyiv political concessions to Moscow.
In particular, Russia is ready to grant Ukraine a gas price's discount if Kyiv resigns from the European Energetic Community's membership - a kind of energetic European Union which includes the 27 EU countries with Moldova and Ukraine - and its to the Eurasian Custom Union.
The Eurasian Custom Union is a politically and energetic international integration project conceived by Russia in order to foster Moscow hegemony in former soviet world.
Right now, the Eurasiatic Custom Union has been joined by Belarus, Kazakhstan, whereas Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are going to ultimate the negotiations with the Kremlin.
Ukraine's situation seems to be compromised, but Kyiv will still keep a fundamental role in Russian gas supplies' route to Europe.
According to Nomos center Professor Mykhaylo Honchar, Russia cannot deliver Russian gas to western EU countries just by sub-marines Nordstream and Southstream pipelines because of gas depots' absence.
"Near submarines pipelines it's impossible to realize gas storage's operations - sentenced Honchar to Italian info portal Lombardi Nel Mondo - whereas in Ukraine several gas depots in the western part of the country are actually guaranteeing Russian gas supplies to the EU in case of Ukrainian "terrestrial" pipeline's damage".
According to Profesor Honchar's statement, Ukraine will always be a crucial country for EU energetic security. For this reason, Ukraine should remain a priority in European Foreign Policy, although the country registered a democratic involution, as demonstrated by the frauds and irregularity during last Ukrainian parliamentary election, which delays Kyiv economic and politic integration in the EU.
Matteo Cazzulani
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