You're reading: Ambassador to Russia: Kyiv will manage to persuade Moscow to lower gas price

Ukrainian Ambassador to Russia Volodymyr Yelchenko has said he is confident that Ukraine will manage to persuade its Russian partners to reduce the price of natural gas. 

“The Ukrainian side has consistently and convincingly defended its long-standing position on the need to review the existing price for Russian gas… We are mutually interdependent on many issues of bilateral cooperation, and we are sure that we can still convince our Russian partners to reduce the price for natural gas,” he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Yelchenko noted that Ukraine was currently complying with the terms of the gas contract, paying for Russian gas supplies on time and in full.

“Despite the fact that Russia is making real steps to diversify gas supply routes to European markets, bypassing Ukraine, our state remains the main and, most importantly, reliable transit partner for Russia and the countries of natural gas consumers,” the diplomat said.

Yelchenko noted that Kyiv was looking for an alternative to Russian gas and was trying to reduce its consumption.

“Negotiations are continuing with the European Union regarding possible reverse gas supplies to Ukraine, and the construction of a terminal to receive liquefied natural gas has been planned,” the diplomat said.

In addition, he said that measures were being taken to reduce natural gas consumption on the domestic market.

“In order to realize these plans, agreement has already been reached with China on the receipt of $3.6 billion worth of investment, and the necessary conditions are being created for the development by foreign companies of domestic deposits of hydrocarbons,” Yelchenko said.

He also added that Kyiv realized the duration and financial costs of this process.

“However, if we soon fail to convince our Russian partners to review the gas price for Ukraine, we will have to continue to actively search for alternative energy resources,” the diplomat said.