Merkel Lauds Russian-Ukrainian Gas Deal for Ensuring EU Supply

© AFP 2023 / SERGEY BOBOKA picture shows a pressure gauge at a compressor station of Ukraine's Naftogaz national oil and gas company near Kharkov on August 5, 2014
A picture shows a pressure gauge at a compressor station of Ukraine's Naftogaz national oil and gas company near Kharkov on August 5, 2014 - Sputnik International
Subscribe
BERLIN (Sputnik) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel has praised the signing of a long-awaited Russian-Ukrainian pact on gas transit to Europe as a sign of the European Union’s energy security.
"I am glad that one and a half years of talks on Russian gas transit through Ukraine could be successfully concluded. Continued gas transit … is a good and important signal that our European gas supply will be guaranteed", Merkel said in a statement.

She thanked Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, EU Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier and the recent addition to the mediators' team, Georg Graf Waldersee.

An employee turns a valve at a gas compressor station in the village of Boyarka, outside Kiev - Sputnik International
Russia Ready to Sell Gas Directly to Any Ukrainian Company, Not Just Naftogaz – Energy Minister
Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz finalised the deal late on 30 December. It guarantees Russian natural gas transit through Ukraine for five years starting 1 January.

Germany relies on Russia for much of its natural gas imports. Despite a slip in gas exports starting in 2014, Russia remained the EU’s biggest supplier in the first half of the outgoing year. It is about to complete a new undersea pipeline to Europe despite US sanctions on contractors.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала