Ukraine wants to import Azerbaijani gas via Russian pipelines

Ukraine would like to pump gas from Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan via the Russian pipelines. Nikolai Azarov, chief of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers, said that the agreement on free trade zone in the CIS offers such an opportunity.

Ukraine hopes that by the end of 2014 it will conclude an agreement on deliveries of gas from Azerbaijan, Ukrainian Premier Nikolai Azarov said in his interview to MIR 24 TV channel.

“If we get gas from Azerbaijan, we will have to pump it either via Russian gas pipeline, or build the gas liquefaction plant and buy the tankers for transportation. These are huge costs and it is clear that this plan can hardly be implemented. But I would like to remind that when we signed and ratified the agreement on free trade zone in the CIS, we have agreed that the countries will have no access to the unified transport system, including the pipeline one,” said Ukrainian official.

“We are going to start negotiations on the direct purchase of gas not only in Azerbaijan, but also in Turkmenistan and may be in other CIS member-states,” concluded Nikolai Azarov.

Ukraine is looking for the possibilities to diversify the gas deliveries to the country. Russia offered to reduce gas price in exchange for Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union.—0—