The condition of the Ukrainian gas transportation system cannot guarantee reliable gas supply to EU consumers in the medium and long term, and Ukraine's recognition of possible problems with gas transit confirms the need for additional routes for reliable supply of the EU, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller told reporters.
"We have been talking about this for a long time: the state of the Ukrainian gas transportation system is such that no one can guarantee reliable gas supply to European consumers along the Ukrainian corridor in the medium and long term," Miller responded to a request to comment on the statements of the Ukrainian Energy Ministry about possible problems with gas transit through the territory countries.
"Our partners in Europe are well aware of this and finally the Ukrainian side acknowledged it and publicly, officially stated about possible problems with transit due to underinvestment in the gas transportation system, which once again shows that for the stable provision of European countries with Russian gas Absolutely necessary additional modern and highly efficient export routes, "Miller said.
Earlier, the Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Igor Nasalik said that the operator of the Ukrainian GTS company Ukrtransgaz may not be technically ready to pump gas because of the reluctance of Naftogaz to invest in the GTS of Ukraine.
