Putin says Russia has no desire to aggravate situation in Ukrainian energy sector

19.12.2019 13:44

Ukrinform

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia does not want to exacerbate the situation in the Ukrainian energy sector and use it to influence processes in the country itself.

“We have no desire to aggravate the situation in the energy sector and somehow use it to influence the situation in Ukraine itself,” Putin stated at his annual press conference on Thursday.

According to the Russian president, Moscow is interested in Ukraine getting resources normally and wants that consumers in Europe be reassured that Russia has normal relations with its neighbors.

Putin also reiterated that Russia is ready to directly supply gas to Ukraine with a 20-25% discount.

According to him, now the parties are “on the way” to concluding a gas agreement.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev stated that the likelihood of signing a new transit gas contract with Russia’s Gazprom is very small, but nevertheless Naftogaz hopes for its conclusion.

The current gas transit contract between Naftogaz and Gazprom expires on December 31, 2019.