Russian gas supplies to Europe depend only on Gazprom's behavior, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan told journalists in Minsk on Aug. 26.
“Ukraine has never blocked Russian gas shipments. It is Gazprom that blocked Russian gas. The guarantee of supplies of Russian gas to Europe today depends on Gazprom’s behavior solely, and its behavior is unpredictable,” Prodan told journalists when asked whether Ukraine could suspend transportation of Russian gas to European consumers.
“Gas transportation today depends exclusively on Gazprom, which will cut gas supplies if it wants to and won’t cut them if it doesn’t. And who do the European companies have contracts with? With Gazprom. European traders and energy companies don’t have contracts with the Ukrainian operator today,” he said.
Hence, the gas flow can stop only when Gazprom cuts gas supplies, Prodan said.
When commenting on the possibility that Ukraine might experience a shortage of natural gas in winter, Prodan said: “There could be shortages depending on temperatures and on consumption. But we have certain volumes available now and [there is] the opportunity of reverse gas shipments from Europe. And the gas coming from European countries could be enough under certain circumstances.”
The minister denied that Ukraine has ever declared that it would be hard for it to go through winter.
