Director of the second department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexei Polishchuk, in an interview with RIA Novosti, named a condition for negotiations on gas transit through Ukraine. According to him, Russia will be ready to consider the issue of extending the contract, when it becomes clear who, in what volumes and under what conditions will buy gas.
The diplomat mentioned that the issues of Russian gas supplies to the countries of Western and Central Europe and its transit through the territory of Ukraine are exclusively commercial in nature.
For obvious reasons, negotiations on the extension of transit can be conducted only when there is a clear understanding of which of the partners will be ready to purchase Russian gas, in what volumes and on what terms. The topic of transportation is secondary in this case.
Polishchuk recalled that the current gas transit contract is valid for another three years – until December 31, 2024, but Kiev's statements about its extension now indicate that it “can only pursue political goals,” the diplomat said.
