Ukraine waiting for answers

It sounds like Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych may be sitting next to his phone, waiting for it to ring.

This, following the President’s recent proposal to build a new natural gas pipeline in Ukraine with the help of both Russia and the European Union.

Yanukovych made his proposal upon the official visit to Ukraine of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who made energy one of her key points of emphasis.

According to an article on the Kiev Post, Yanukovych is now waiting for a response to his proposal to create a joint venture among the three parties. He says he believes that an additional Ukrainian natural gas pipeline to the West can ensure that additional supplies of gas reach Europe.

Yanukovych said that Ukraine should be a reliable supplier of hydrocarbons to the EU. He also said that Ukraine would do everything to guarantee the reliable work of the Ukrainian gas transport and oil pipeline systems.



The President’s three stage plan involves the renovation of existing pipeline infrastructure as well as building new lines, all of which could increase gas volumes by tens of billions of cubic meters.

Ukraine has recently expressed its desire to modernize its current natural gas transport system and has appealed to the EU to help fund such an endeavour.

Source: Yanukovych: Ukraine expects response from Europe, Russia on gas pipeline construction