New Europe: EU-Russia-Ukraine Tactical Gas Game

Ukraine will remain a transit state for some of the Russian gas supplies to Europe despite statements by Russian gas monopoly Gazprom that it will stop gas supplies via the former Soviet republic by 2019.

Russia has invested lots of capital and they have invested politically in the Ukrainian pipeline system, Constantinos Filis, director of research at Institute of International Relations, told New Europe on October 13.

“I don’t think that they will exclude it as they say from 2019. They will keep the Ukrainian system as part of their export policy to Europe. They will add probably more quantities to Nord Stream with the expansion of Nord Stream 2 and then maybe if there is further need they might explore the idea of bypassing Ukraine from the southern branch. But Ukraine in my view will remain part of the equation. The Europeans want that, the Russians want that so it’s just a matter of a tactical game between the three sides,” Filis said, speaking on the sidelines of a conference on Investing in Energy in Athens.

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