Ukraine: Asset Sale Not Required as Part of Russian Gas Negotiations

Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko has said that the possibility of giving state assets to Russian gas company Gazprom as part of its negotiations for lower gas prices has never been part of discussions.

The minister said that the Russian gas company had never asked for the assets to be traded, despite rumours to the contrary which have arisen in recent weeks. 

“We have never considered such factories or assets as compensation, as other countries or companies, which have integrated with Gazprom, have done,” Minister Boiko told a Ukrainian news channel. 

The minister also told the Inter TV channel that it would continue pursuing lower gas amounts from Gazprom, despite Gazprom’s insistence that Ukraine’s gas contracts to not allow for such a substantial decrease in supply.

 “If gas becomes cheaper, we will buy more,” he said. “If not we will cut consumption each year.”

 Ukraine’s current gas contract stipulates gas imports in the amount of 52 billion cubic metres of gas a year. Ukraine has recently sought to reduce that amount to 27 billion cubic metres of gas a year.