New blackmail gas between Russia and Ukraine

Blackmail made by Moscow to Ukraine on tariff and transit of gas is divided ... the same scenario as that "used" three years ago seemed to be applied.

While Russia had grelotter the whole of Europe the transition from 2005 to 2006, the very powerful group of oil controlled by the Russian state, Gazprom threatens to halt gas deliveries to Ukraine from 1st of January.

Unless the two countries can agree by then on a new contract. Daily Finance and Investment Tips / Make Money by Learning
Regarding a possible suspension of gas supplies at the end of the year, the spokesman for Gazprom, Sergei Kupriyanov said Saturday that he hoped to avoid a radical decision to "close the tap," but that the situation was now "at neutral. "

"We still have time to reach an agreement," he nevertheless tempered. "We would like to avoid such a scenario, we would like us to agree on everything before the New Year, but you will understand that we can not deliver gas without a contract," he said Saturday.

Thursday, the Russian president Dmitri Medvedev had demanded that Ukraine repay its debt to Gazprom valued at $ 2.4 billion by Moscow. "We must take a final decision and recover the debt of Ukraine," Medvedev said during a meeting with Gazprom boss Alexei Miller. Kiev must pay his debt "to voluntarily or by coercion," he insisted.

"Our Ukrainian partners we have over 2.4 billion dollars. It is a large sum for any state and any company, including Gazprom, has said Mr. Medvedev.

"We see no progress in relations with the Ukrainian side and we are not sure that we will see the money", had argued for Mr. Miller. According to him, the situation has not changed since the October visit of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko Ms. Russia. "The debt has not only not decreased but increased," he added.

Mr. Medvedev felt that he should take all possible measures envisaged by the legislation and bilateral agreements "to force Ukraine to repay its debt.

Regarding this issue, to say the least difficult, Mr. Kouprianov said Saturday that the reimbursement "full and without conditions" by Ukraine of its debt had been an agreement signed last month by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko but that this commitment had not been honored.

He said the amount of debt (2.4 billion dollars) by gas delivered in September, October and during November and the benefits of delay. "Once the debt will be honored, we are prepared to conclude an agreement on gas deliveries directly," he continued.

The Ukrainian national company Naftogaz said however it had no debt vis-à-vis Gazprom but it was $ 1.26 billion to RosUkrEnergo, the intermediary commercial exchanges Russo-Ukrainian gas.

Deliveries of Russian gas in Ukraine are conducted through a Russian-Ukrainian company for less "opaque", registered in Switzerland, RosUkrEnergo, this situation is far from the favors of the Ukrainian authorities. Kiev and Moscow have nevertheless agreed to move from 2009 to shipments without intermediaries.


The Gazprom boss Alexei Miller said Thursday that the gas price charged to Ukraine could be increased to more than $ 400 1,000 m3, against 179.5 dollars currently, well below the rates charged in respect of Europe. "In the transition to market relations in the field of gas supplies to Ukraine, the price could reach over $ 400 with effect from 1st January 2009", said Mr. Miller.

The agreement signed by heads of governments of both countries provides "a gradual transition to market prices" by 2011, provided that Ukraine repay its debt, commented Mr. Kouprianov.

"I think the statement on gas is a political statement. Economically, nothing justifies such a price in 2009," noted the Ukrainian Minister of Industry Volodymyr Novytskyi Friday in a press conference.

At the same time, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, in conflict with his Prime Minister Mrs. Yulia Tymoshenko, ordered the government to pay the debt, holding it responsible for the conflict with Moscow. The government's mistakes could lead "the colonization of Ukraine," he said in a statement. Or is reviewing point the specter of a new Soviet empire .... far from displeasing to Putin ...


Remember that Ukraine is heavily dependent on Russia for its energy supplies. But it is not the only ... almost all Russian gas destined for the EU transit through this country at the location for less strategic. In December 2005, Gazprom had decided the suspension of deliveries to Ukraine, which had caused a brief suspension of Russian gas to Europe.