The Russian gas giant Gazprom has called on the European Commission to ensure monitoring of gas transit through Ukraine, said the company’s official representative Sergei Kupriyanov on Sunday, as reported by Russian media.
"Given that the observers engaged by Gazprom do not have access to the operational center of the gas pipeline in Ukraine, we have sent a letter to the European Commission proposing to ensure independent monitoring of gas transit through Ukraine," said Kupriyanov. This issue is expected to be discussed on Monday at a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels dedicated to the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute.
In the last 24 hours, Gazprom has reportedly increased gas supplies to EU member states via the territories of Belarus and Turkey. After Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria reported a decrease in the flow of Russian gas through Ukraine, Turkey made a similar statement.
Ukraine accuses Russia of deliberately sabotaging gas deliveries to consumers in Europe who are facing low winter temperatures.
Ukraine accuses Russia of deliberately sabotaging gas deliveries to consumers in Europe who are facing low winter temperatures. Gazprom, on the other hand, accused Ukraine on Saturday of stealing 35 million cubic meters of Russian gas intended for Europe daily and warned Kyiv that it would have to pay for that gas, as well as over 600 million US dollars in remaining debt. It has also filed a lawsuit with the Arbitration Court in Stockholm against Ukrainian Naftogaz, accusing it of failing to fulfill obligations regarding gas transit through its territory.
