Posted by: zanshin, 2009-06-13 09:07

Story

Putin warns of gas shutdown to Europe if Ukraine fails to pay

2009-06-03 (Wednesday), RIA Novosti
Russia's prime minister warned on Wednesday that natural gas pumped via Ukraine to Europe could be cut off by early July if Ukraine fails to pay for its gas, and urged the EU to intervene.
"During discussions with our European partners, I have called attention to this problem, and asked them not to leave us [Ukraine and Russia] to handle these issues one-on-one. We are warning in advance that if such a conflict arises, it could lead to a full shutdown in our transit in late June or early July," Vladimir Putin said after talks with his Finnish counterpart Matti Vanhanen in Helsinki.
Russia, which supplies around one fifth of Europe's gas, briefly shut down supplies via Ukraine's pipeline system at the start of the year over Kiev's unpaid debt.
The premier said that if there are further payment delays on the part of Ukraine, Russia's Gazprom has the contractual right to demand pre-payment for future gas, suspending supplies until the money is paid. Without buying gas to fill Ukraine's storage system, the resulting shortfall will have a knock-on effect on Europe, he warned.
"I want to stress that without pumping gas into its underground storage facilities, Ukraine won't be able to survive, and will be forced to tap gas from the export pipelines. It will be forced to do this, you can't even blame them for it," he said.
Despite the warnings from both the Russian side and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko that further gas disputes and cutoffs are highly likely to arise, leading to problems for the European Union, the 27-nation bloc has so far been reluctant to consider financially backing Ukraine's gas imports.
Last Friday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said it would be difficult for the EU to help Ukraine keep up with its payments.
The Russian premier said: "All our requests to the European Commission have so far been unsuccessful, there has only been one answer - we have no money for Ukraine."
Putin stressed that Russia has not escaped from the global economic slowdown, and is not in a position to subsidize Ukraine.
"We, in Russia at least, are not glad and are not gloating over Ukraine's difficulties in paying for the product they buy from us... But we can't pay for this."
Russia's president has also called for dialogue involving the EU on the Russia-Ukraine gas issue.
Dmitry Medvedev told Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin on Wednesday: "We need to continue contacts with our European partners, Brussels, the EU presidency, and our Ukrainian colleagues."
Sechin told the president that the government has submitted proposals to the EU and to Ukraine on coordinating efforts aimed at solving payment problems.
"We have appealed to Barroso, the president of the European Commission, as well as the president of the Czech Republic, the prime minister of Sweden and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on coordinating these efforts," he said.
Sechin also confirmed that Russia will not be able to grant Ukraine's request for a $4.2 bln loan to enable the country to buy 19.5 billion cubic meters of gas for its underground storage facilities.

© 2007 RIA Novosti

Comments


No comments yet.

Please login to post your comment.













All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners.
Stories, Arguments and Comments are owned by the Poster.
The Rest copyright © 2007 Argumentations.com. All rights reserved. Argumentations.com provides material for research or educational purposes only. We do not warrant the correctness of its contents. The risk from using it lies entirely with the user. While using this site, you agree to have read and accepted our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Argumentations.com is far from perfect so if you have any critiques, questions, comments or problems about this site please tell us. Click here to send your feedback. And if you like Argumentations.com please link to this site. It will really help a lot.
   

Tags

CZECH,   EU,   Europe,   Gazprom,   Medvedev,   Natural Gas,   Putin,   Russia,   Sweden,   Ukraine,  

Related statements

No results

View other suggested stories

Date added 
2007-12-29Russia, Iran tighten the energy noose
2009-02-02Billionaire Firtash Proposes Gas Group for Russia, Ukraine, EU
2009-06-13EU plans fact-finding missions for Moscow, Kiev on gas supplies
2009-07-15Gas to cloud Germany, Russia talks
2009-05-10Country Reports on Terrorism 2008 -- Chapter 2. Country Reports: Europe and Eurasia Overview
2009-01-06Russia Cuts Gas to Ukraine as Both Sides Seek Talks
2009-01-06Russia Reduces Gas Deliveries Via Ukraine; Balkan Supply Halted
2009-01-18U.S. urges Russia to resume gas flow after Ukraine deal
2008-11-20The Cold Peace
2008-11-26Pipelines, politics and power -- The future of EU-Russia energy relations -- Introduction
2008-11-26Pipelines, politics and power -- The future of EU-Russia energy relations -- Energy geopolitics in Russia-EU relations
2008-11-27Russia plays the Shtokman card
2008-12-02A Tear in the NATO Bulwark
2008-01-19A Political-Risk Outlook for 2008
2006-10-04Analysis: Russia's New Imperialism
2006-10-10Russia Seeks Greater Economic Influence in Europe
2007-01-14Natural Resources are Fuelling a New Cold War
2007-05-02Country Reports on Terrorism -- Chapter 2 -- Country Reports: Europe and Eurasia Overview
2007-06-06Russia Redux?
2009-07-22Beyond Dependence: How To Deal With Russian Gas -- Policy Brief
2009-06-28Putin says Russia unable to make gas payments for Ukraine
2007-06-06Contours Of The Putin Era
2007-06-05Interview: Putin Likely to Remain Powerful Figure After 2008
2007-05-04Five events that changed the world in 2006
2007-05-11Turkey stakes a Central Asian claim
2006-12-19Vladimir Putin's Russia - Don't mess with Russia
2006-12-26Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmen Leader, Dies at 66
2006-11-22Full text: Vladimir Putin interview
2006-10-09The Emerging Russian Giant Plays its Cards Strategically
2006-10-04The Geopolitics of Natural Gas
2007-12-29Russia clinches gas pipeline deal
2007-12-29Analysis: Russian pipeline deal
2007-12-29European Union-Russia summit a diplomatic debacle
2007-12-17Bridging Troubled Waters
2008-11-14Towards a Grand Strategy for an Uncertain World -- Renewing Transatlantic Partnership
2008-12-23Putin says 'cheap gas era' ending
2008-10-07Russia, Georgia And The European Union – The Creeping Finlandization Of Europe
2008-10-17Ukraine Vis-A-Vis NATO, Russia and the EU
2008-10-24Don't Expand NATO: The Case Against Membership for Georgia and Ukraine
2008-10-24The World Around Russia: 2017 -- An Outlook for the Midterm Future
2008-10-26Russia seals Caspian gas pipeline deal
2008-11-02Famous astrologist predicts global crisis in 2010 that will destroy EU and NATO
2008-11-07Country Reports on Terrorism -- Chapter 2 -- Country Reports: Europe and Eurasia Overview
2008-11-07Russia's Relations with the World: The Aftermath of the Georgian Conflict, New Vision Conference Session 2
2008-04-23NATO and European Energy Security
2008-06-02Gas Transit and the Price of Imported Gas: Economic Justification
2008-07-30WHO'S IN CHARGE IN THE KREMLIN?
2008-08-11Georgia pays price for its Nato ambitions
2008-08-12Russia, France announce formula to end Georgia fighting
2008-09-02Stoking Tensions, Risking Confrontation: A High Stakes US Gamble with Russia
2009-06-13Russian president proposes special forum to solve gas disputes
2009-05-10Country Reports on Terrorism 2008 -- Chapter 4: The Global Challenge of WMD Terrorism
2009-03-06In stupidity we trust
2009-06-13Ukraine pledges to pay $500 mln for Russian gas on Friday
2009-06-30Russia ready to buy Azerbaijani gas at record price - paper
2009-07-03Russia's New Scramble for Africa -- Moscow attempts to rebuild its sphere of influence in the African continent
2009-07-19Turkey and Russia on the Rise
2009-03-01Gazprom may cut gas to Ukraine over non-payments - newspaper
2009-03-18Gazprom turns down invitation to join Nabucco project
2009-03-24Ukraine gas pipeline modernization could cost $16 bln - Gazprom
2009-03-24EU, Ukraine set to agree $2.5 bln loan to modernize gas pipelines
2008-07-30KICKING SAND IN RUSSIA’S FACE
2008-07-16Nations with vast oil wealth gaining clout
2008-06-16Not an island -- Europe and the Middle East
2008-06-25Medvedev wants "serious" pact with EU
2008-05-29Advice for the Nuclear Abolitionists
2008-05-05Global Neo-Liberalism, the Deformation of Education and Resistance
2008-03-03Us and Them -- The Enduring Power of Ethnic Nationalism
2008-03-15Russia throws a wrench in NATO's works
2008-11-02A New Axis Forms
2008-11-11'The EU Is Virtually an Accomplice of Moscow' -- Interview with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves
2008-11-11Ex-Soviet States Fear Russian Aggression -- Are Modova and Ukraine at risk?
2008-10-26After the war
2008-10-14Building a Bigger, Better NATO at Riga
2008-09-02The New Financial Heavyweights
2008-09-06Conflict Tests Ties Between the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches
2008-09-11International Migration Outlook 2008
2008-09-20Moscow's moves in Georgia track a script by right-wing prophet
2008-12-23Russia forecast dire for gas markets
2009-01-18New European gas sources still a pipe dream
2009-01-18TIMELINE: Gas crises between Russia and ex-Soviet neighbors
2008-12-30Watching the Rouble Go Down -- Diary
2009-01-25NATO awaits new leadership
2008-11-14Putin raises concerns over Nord Stream
2008-11-20EU urges action to exploit Arctic oil and gas
2008-11-20Defining the “Post-Soviet Space”
2008-11-30EU2020 essay Willing and able? -- EU defence in 2020
2007-10-29Putin Denounces U.S. Missile Shield
2007-11-06Gasunie to join Russia's Nord Stream project
2007-11-09HOW STUPID DO THEY THINK WE ARE?
2007-11-19The EU should look more to Turkey as energy source
2008-01-20Putin Seals Balkans Energy Deals to Boost EU Supplies (Update3)
2008-01-25Serbian victory for Putin and Russia Inc
2008-01-24The Three Rs: Rivalry, Russia, ’Ran
2008-01-25Defining diplomacy
2008-02-02Bypassing Europe Is a Mistake
2007-07-12House Armed Services Committee Global Security Assessment Statement For The Record
2007-07-15Viewpoint: Russia's missile fears
2007-07-24Highlights in the History of U.S. Relations With Russia, 1780-June 2006
2007-08-03Russia cancels gas cut-off to Belarus after payment
2007-08-06The Global Drug Meta-Group: Drugs, Managed Violence, and the Russian 9/11
2007-09-02Kazakh oil in Europe
2007-09-02Moscow Lashes Out at European Energy 'Hysteria'
2007-10-16The global Oil grab of 2007
2006-05-01"We Are Very Vigilant When it Comes to the German-Russian Relationship"
2006-11-22EU invitation to Putin 'diplomatic blunder'
2006-11-22US criticises Russia-Germany gas deal
2006-11-07TURKEY AND THE AZERBAIJANI OIL CONTROVERSIES: LOOKING FOR A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE PIPELINE
2006-11-08Russia sets 2007 gas price for Belarus at $200 per 1,000 cu m
2007-01-02Gazprom's Growing Tentacles
2006-12-17Baku Banks On Independent Energy Policy
2007-01-05Analysis: Can Merkel fix the EU?
2007-01-08Russia oil row hits Europe supply
2007-06-05'i Am A True Democrat' -- G-8 Interview With Vladimir Putin
2007-06-07US missiles hit Russia where it hurts
2007-06-11Interview with french president Nicolas Sarkozy
2007-03-13The Demography of Europe
2007-03-14The Geopolitics of Energy: Speech given at the IP Week, 2007
2009-07-16Iran says could be 'most economical' supplier for Nabucco
2009-07-17German scholar: Medvedev-Merkel summit strengthens ties
2009-06-28Gazprom: no reason to panic
2009-07-19Nabucco not serious rival to Russian gas pipe projects - Zubkov
2009-06-24Nabucco, an American piece for a European orchestra
2009-06-26Gazprom: Deals Near With Azerbaijan
2009-07-03Europeans Remiss On Nabucco, Illusion-Prone On South Stream
2009-07-03Nabucco pipeline deal set to be signed by mid-July in Turkey: officials
2009-07-05Gazprom is losing Europe
2007-03-14Sweden: Restrictive Immigration Policy and Multiculturalism
2007-03-14Finns and EU membership
2007-03-14The new Seven Sisters: oil and gas giants dwarf western rivals
2007-02-28RUSSIA AND THE NEW COLD WAR -- When cowboys don't shoot straight
2007-02-28Speech at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy
2007-03-01The “White” al-Qaeda and the Future of Europe
2007-03-01Oil trade strengthens US-Russian ties
2007-03-18EU at 50 unsure what to be when it grows up
2007-03-19Belarus duplicity made clear by fresh arrests
2007-03-20EU renews Belarus sanctions ahead of Minsk opposition rally
2007-03-27BMD Focus: Euro-battle moves east
2007-03-27U.S. backs supervised independence for Kosovo: Burns
2007-03-31'Europe is increasingly fading away'
2007-04-02Reaction From Around the World
2007-04-05Ilves, Toomas Hendrik: Speech at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy
2007-04-05"Promoting Democracy: A Progressive Foreign Policy Agenda".
2007-04-05The outlook for the EU's foreign policy
2007-04-11Putin Tightens Internet Controls Before Presidential Election
2007-04-11Russian FM encourages U.S. anti-missile debate: FT
2007-04-12A Conversation With Vladimir Bukovsky
2007-04-14War? You must be joking
2007-04-14Islamic Europe?
2007-04-23Europe and Russia infuriated with lessons of democracy from USA
2007-04-26Putin comments escalate U.S.-Russia missile shield row
2007-04-26Putin hawkish in final state-of-nation address
2007-06-06G8: Issues and controversies
2007-06-01Administration Rebukes Putin on His Policies
2007-06-17More Smoke on the Horizon in the Middle East War Theater
2007-06-18A PACKAGE DEAL FOR THE MIDDLE EAST
2007-05-11Waning Chances for Stability -- Least Bad Options in a Failed, War-Torn State
2007-05-02President Bush Meets with EU Leaders -- 2007 U.S.-EU Summit
2007-05-01Can Europe Age Gracefully? - Part I
2007-05-14Timeline: Nato
2007-05-18Rows overshadow EU-Russia talks
2007-05-27Infiltrating Bilderberg 2005
2007-05-29BP moves closer to losing license to Siberian oil field
2007-01-08'Lessons' for EU from gas crisis
2007-01-11Seeking an energy holy trinity
2007-01-08Russia Halts Oil Deliveries to Germany
2006-12-26The Great Game on a razor's edge
2007-02-20Europe Wary of US Defense System in Poland, Czech Republic
2007-02-20Putin Uses Persian Gulf Trip To Boost Russian Role In Arab World
2007-02-20Russia's hudna with the Muslim world
2006-11-08Russia's Gazprom pledges to fully meet Ukraine's gas needs in 2007