Ukraine and Russian gas giant Gazprom are discussing ways to cushion the effect of the implementation of a Stockholm Arbitration Tribunal decision that obliged national gas company Naftogaz Ukrainy to give 12.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Swiss-registered gas trader RosUkrEnergo, Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko said.
"We’re in no hurry. While studying the court’s decision, we are negotiating with Gazprom about how to resolve this situation without upsetting the balance of gas supplies in the country. This is a key point. No one is going to transfer 11 billion cubic meters of gas and leave the people without heat in the coming winter," he said in an interview published in the Ukrainian newspaper Segodnya on Monday.
Boiko also denied allegations that the current government had intentionally given up Ukraine’s state interests during the court proceedings in the spring and summer of this year.
"When Naftogaz received a letter from Gazprom with a request not to involve the latter in this case, representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of [ex-Premier] Yulia Tymoshenko immediately changed their position, which led to defeat in court," the minister said.
