Russia resumes EU gas supplies
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 21, 2009 00:00
PISAREVKA - Russian natural gas began flowing into Europe yesterday after a nearly two-week cutoff that left large parts of the continent shivering and underscored its vulnerability and dependence on Russia's energy.
But a higher price Ukraine now has to pay for the Russian gas will further cripple an economy badly hurt by the financial crisis and could set the stage for another gas dispute with Russia. The office of Ukraine's president has already criticized the deal, saying it hurt the nation's interests.
Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom began pumping gas into Ukraine at around 10:30 a.m. Moscow time (0730GMT), spokesman Boris Sapozhnikov said by telephone from the Sudzha metering station on the border with Ukraine. Ukraine's Naftogaz state gas company confirmed gas flowed through Sudzha, Pisarevka and other gas metering stations on the border.
Several hours later, Slovak Economics Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said his country started receiving the Russian gas through the Velke Kapusany station on the border with Ukraine. It could take longer for other European customers to begin receiving the Russian gas via Ukraine, which is the size of France, and reach European customers. Europe gets about a fifth of its natural gas from Russia.
EU hails resumption
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hailed the resumption of supplies, but added that "it is difficult to welcome something that should not have happened in the first place." "It was utterly unacceptable that European gas consumers were held hostage to this dispute between Russia and Ukraine," he said. "We must not allow ourselves to be placed in this position in future. New Year is for fireworks and celebration, not gas crises."
Barroso said that Europe must learn the lessons of the dispute and diversify its energy sources and supply routes.
Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom began pumping gas into Ukraine at around 10:30 a.m. Moscow time (0730GMT), spokesman Boris Sapozhnikov said by telephone from the Sudzha metering station on the border with Ukraine. Ukraine's Naftogaz state gas company confirmed gas flowed through Sudzha, Pisarevka and other gas metering stations on the border.
Several hours later, Slovak Economics Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said his country started receiving the Russian gas through the Velke Kapusany station on the border with Ukraine. It could take longer for other European customers to begin receiving the Russian gas via Ukraine, which is the size of France, and reach European customers. Europe gets about a fifth of its natural gas from Russia.
EU hails resumption
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hailed the resumption of supplies, but added that "it is difficult to welcome something that should not have happened in the first place." "It was utterly unacceptable that European gas consumers were held hostage to this dispute between Russia and Ukraine," he said. "We must not allow ourselves to be placed in this position in future. New Year is for fireworks and celebration, not gas crises."
Barroso said that Europe must learn the lessons of the dispute and diversify its energy sources and supply routes.