Arbuzov – We should sit at the table of negotiations, if Ukraine wants to change the conditions of gas agreements

As opposed to Ukraine, the European companies managed to find common ground with Gazprom signing the contracts on gas supplies at a price lower than for our country. We should sit download at the table of negotiations if Ukraine wants to change the conditions of the agreements, announced the former first vice premier Serhiy Arbuzov in an interview for RAPSI, responding to the statement that any attempt of Gazprom to equalize the export prices based on the tariffs of the European gas market end inevitably with the demarche of the Ukrainian side.

He reminded that for a long time Russia sold gas to Ukraine at US $50 per 1,000 cu m. In spring 2005 former president Viktor Yushchenko insisted on termination of the long-term contract on gas supplies and transition to the so called “market relations”.

“We adopted the market relations and immediately got the European average price of US $160-170 per 1,000 cu m. But that was unacceptable. The next proposal, which by the way, was adjusted and even initialed, was US $234 per 1,000 cu m. But Ukraine rejected the offer too. Then there was a very questionable agreement in 2006 involving RosUkrEnergo as an intermediary,” noted Arbuzov.

The current gas contracts are unbeneficial for Ukraine but they are absolutely legal, according to Arbuzov.

“The current contract of 2009 is absolutely legal, as can be seen from the decision of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, which closed criminal proceedings (so-called “gas affair”) against former premier Yulia Tymoshenko and completely acquitted her. But who is to blame that it was signed under those conditions…We should have defended the interests of Ukraine more actively and found compromise before signing the document. If you want to change the conditions, sit at the negotiations table and think about changing the conditions that would be beneficial for both parties,” specified the former government official.

As a reminder, on December 19, 2009 Naftogaz of Ukraine and Gazprom signed an agreement on gas supply for 2009-2019, according to which Ukraine bought the natural gas at one of the most expensive prices in Europe. The document was signed in the presence of former premiers of Ukraine and Russia – Yulia Tymoshenko and Vladimir Putin. In 2011 Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years for abuse of power during the signing of the agreements.