Moscow, January 16 (Interfax) - Russian-Ukrainian relations are going through a difficult period, and the participants of the upcoming gas summit must find a solution that will ensure Russian gas transit to Europe through Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
“The summit participants could propose any issue for discussion. So far Russia is interested in resolving the problem of how to start pumping our gas, which is already knocking at the Ukrainian gates, through Ukraine to Europe,” Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on Friday.
Various proposals are being made, including a possible multilateral solution to this problem, he said. “They [proposals] do not concern the gas transportation system proper, if I understand the situation correctly. At any rate we are interested in finding a solution. It can only be found with participation of Ukrainian officials. Hopefully, this will be done,” Lavrov said.
“I will not hide it, these [the Russian-Ukrainian] relations are going through the uneasy period, with us piling up problems that could have been avoided. To a known extent, they are piling up artificially, against our wishes,” the minister said.
“[Ukraine’s] forced steps, primarily, in the informational space, and not just informational but legal steps, are alarming,” Lavrov said.
