Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov is perplexed by statements by the leadership of the European Commission's offices in Ukraine that the 2009 gas contract with Russia saved Europe from a gas crisis.
"Now the gas price for Ukraine without the ‘Kharkiv discount’ is roughly $546. Let’s compare that for a minute with the price that Europe pays for gas – it buys gas for $346, even though it is located over 1,000 and more kilometers from the Russian border. In these conditions, when the permanent EC representative in Ukraine says that we applaud this contract, which in 2009 saved Europe from crisis, I would like to ask – why were Ukraine’s people offended? Why did we put our country at the brink of catastrophe? Why such misfortune and guilt?" Azarov said at an extended meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers in Kyiv on Wednesday.
