Creation of Russia-Ukraine bilateral gas consortium to manage the Ukrainian GTS is possible only if Ukraine withdraws from the Energy Union, Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said in interview with European media, the official website of the Russian Federation government informs.

“As for the consortium, the Ukrainians should first of all try to understand what they really need. If they want this consortium to be bilateral or trilateral, they should make it appealing for us. Because this isn’t a must to us at the moment; we feel no urge to join in. But if some interesting projects are offered, if we get a sense that we are being considered for involvement as full-fledged long-term partners, we will resume negotiating the possibility, of course,” he said.

Medvedev noted that recently he had a conversation on this issue with the Ukrainian Prime Minister and the vice PM in charge of the gas sector. “Naturally, this is also discussed at the presidential level. President Yanukovych raised the issue during his latest visit to Russia. But, as I said, the offer they make us should be attractive. And it will be attractive only if we understand that there are guarantees for our interests – those of Gazprom and the state as a whole. And how can our interests be guaranteed? By ensuring that we do not enter into a situation in which we risk being excluded from the consortium, or having it qualified as contradicting certain EU regulations, for example, or as not being in line with the Energy Charter Treaty,” he stressed.

According to Medvedev, Russia and Ukraine can form an alliance only if Ukraine withdraws from a number of institutions, including the Energy Communion Treaty. "If, I reiterate, Ukraine is interested in it. If it is not interested, then we will develop our own way, and Ukraine may remain in any international agreements, it is its sovereign right. However, if we agree on something, we have to ensure our interests. Negotiations on this issue are continuing, our Ukrainian colleagues send us signals periodically. Wait and see," the Russian Prime Minister summed up.

 

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