On Tuesday 3 January, the Russian Permanent Representative to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, warned of another impending gas crisis because Ukraine, which ensures the transiting of Russian gas through its territory for the EU, is already pumping out fuel from its emergency supplies.
In an interview with the Russian media body, Interfax, Mr Chizhov warned, “The European Commission's chief concern, which, I would like to note, we understand and share, is linked with the fact that European consumers may be left without gas this winter, which is still far from being over and which has already shown its character - it is far colder than at least the two previous ones," he said. It may happen because "the underground storage facilities built in western Ukraine back in Soviet times are used as backup reserves in case of peak loads, in other words maximum gas consumption further along the pipeline - in countries of the European Union”.
The Russian diplomat believes that supplies of Russian gas from the Ukraine this winter and the guaranteed supply of gas to Europe depends on the political will of the Ukrainian authorities. He warned that, “Generally speaking, the answer can be very simple: if there is money, there will be gas for Ukraine. There will be gas if the current Kiev authorities want it. If there is neither of them, as Kiev says from time to time, they will have to pay extra money for the Russian gas being shipped via the reverse flow, or, at the worst, use kizyak [pressed manure] as fuel," he said.
On 9 December, Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission, on behalf of the EU, agreed to continue talks to supply Russian gas to the Ukraine during the 2016/2017 winter and to ensure the security of transit through Ukraine of Russian gas purchased by the EU. Russia is planning on selling between 1.5 and 4 billion m3 of gas to Ukraine (see EUROPE 11687). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)