Ukrainian President: Period of gas blackmail of our country by Russia has already passed. No one will put Ukraine on its knees

President Poroshenko stressed that Russia had failed to provoke our country and destabilize the energy sector. Ukraine demonstrated to the whole world its credibility as a partner and country transiting natural gas to the European Union.

“Period of gas blackmail of our country by Russia has already passed. No one will put Ukraine on its knees,” Petro Poroshenko said in a meeting in Ukrtransgaz.

“Russians laid hopes that Ukraine would start taking gas from its transit volumes. Keep dreaming. Ukraine is a reliable state, reliable partner. We informed all our partners from the EU. They were ready and well-informed not to give in to Russian provocations. The reaction of the European Commission, certain EU countries clearly demonstrates support for Ukraine,” the Head of State noted.

“We fully ensured gas transit to the EU countries,” he emphasized.

The President noted: “It is another evidence that Russia is not a reliable supplier. Why should you build the Turkish Stream of the Nord Stream 2 if Russia can cut off the supply of gas to the whole EU at any time, without any warning in order to ensure political pressure?”.

“This instruments are not efficient anymore. Ukraine and the EU will withstand. We are different already,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.

First Deputy Board Chairman of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Serhiy Pereloma reported to the President on the situation in the gas transportation system of Ukraine. Gas inflow to Ukraine equals 439.0 million cubic meters, taking into account the transit that Ukraine carries out under contractual obligations. In the gas balance, its own production amounted to 57.2 million cubic meters. Extraction from underground gas storages is 112.3 million cubic meters. Inflow from the Russian Federation is 0 million cubic meters. Inflow from the European Union countries is 4.5 million cubic meters (as of 6.00 am), as of 10.00 am - already 29.4 million cubic meters.

“These are 25 million cubic meters of gas we lacked,” the President said.

The Head of State also noted that the price according to the decision of the Stockholm arbitration was $ 238.55 per thousand cubic meters of gas, the spot price ranged from 250-300 to 500 US dollars. "They wanted Ukraine to bear these losses," he said, adding that "all these losses will be thoroughly calculated by the lawyers of Naftogaz of Ukraine who are already preparing the appropriate lawsuits”.

“All these losses will be compensated. Gazprom will compensate for all these provocative actions. I have no doubt about that. Ukrainians will not pay for this increase in price,” the President said.

Original