02 June 2021, Wednesday, 13:46 202

Russia Not To Stop Natural Gas Transit Via Ukraine After Transit Agreement Expiration – Peskov

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

Press-Secretary of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, says Russia does not intend to stop natural gas transit via Ukraine after the transit agreement expiration.

Russian-based TASS news agency has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"Russia and Ukraine have an agreement on gas transit to Europe, this agreement will remain in force for the entire period of its validity. But even after the expiration of the agreement, Russia does not intend to abandon Ukrainian transit. President Putin bases his opinion on the fact that natural gas supplies to Europe will increase, and Ukrainian transit might be in demand. At the same time, Putin emphasizes every time that this is an exclusively economic and commercial issue, and it must meet the requirements of the market," Peskov said.

At the same time, he added that Ukraine, in turn, as the owner of the gas transport system (GTS), must ensure the normal technical condition of the system.

Peskov also noted that Russia welcomes the U.S. intention to abandon sanctions against the Nord Stream 2.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the Verkhovna Rada calls on the House of Representatives and the Senate of the U.S. Congress to impose sanctions against a key company participating in the Nord Stream-2 project, Nord Stream AG.

Earlier, the US refused to impose sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 operator.

In December 2019, the National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine, Ukrainian Gas Transport System Operator and Gazprom signed an agreement for the transit of Russian gas to Europe through the territory of Ukraine from 2020.

Ukraine and Russia have agreed that, under a new 5-year gas transit contract, which can be extended after 2024, the transit volume in 2020 will amount to 65 billion cubic meters of gas, and in 2021-2024 - 40 billion cubic meters of gas.