The European Commission (EC) is ready to act as mediator and join talks between Ukraine and Russia on the supply and transit of natural gas, Vice-President of the EU Commission for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said at Adam Smith Conferences' Ukrainian Energy Forum in Kyiv on Tuesday.
In his words, the sides should start hammering out interim decisions, because mutual claims between NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy and Russia’s OAO Gazprom are most likely not to be settled by the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce earlier than 2017.
“The EC will be facilitating the talks so that the two sides could find out interim solutions to gas shipments to Ukraine,” he said.
The EC is also ready to offer both sides its services to ensure assistance in gas transit via Ukraine, including after 2019.
Ukraine is an important transit country for gas shipments from Russia to Europe, and this is an official position and the policy of the EC, he said.
He also called on Ukraine to continue energy reforms for the benefit of the country, such as the adoption of legislation on the regulator, the electricity market and energy efficiency.
