Ukraine-Russia Truce Helps Increase Gas Transit to Europe in July

Ukraine’s transit of natural gas from Russia to Europe increased by 27% from 6.1 bcm shipped in July 2012, according to the state-owned gas shipping monopoly UkrTransGaz.

The data released on Friday by UkrTransGaz suggest an expected countertrend, with the increase in July following six months of reduced transit. 

Ukraine’s transit of gas from Russia to Europe fell by 7% to 45.6 bcm in the first seven months of the year.

Last month, Ukraine and Russia found common ground to ensure stable transit of natural gas to Europe, finding a solution to their dispute about gas storage in Ukraine.

The agreement does not cover all the tensions between the two countries. Ukraine intends to decrease its reliance on Russian imports, producing locally and decreasing national energy consumption.

In the first six months of the year, Ukraine reduced its gas imports by more than 35% compared to the same period of 2012.