Reuters: 'Foolish' to rely on undisrupted gas via Ukraine this winter-Czech energy envoy
It is foolish to expect gas to flow as usual through Ukraine this winter and Europe must brace for disruption along the route that typically carries almost half of Russia's exports to the European Union, a top Czech energy official said on Monday.
Speaking at the Reuters Eastern European Investment Summit, Czech energy security ambassador Vaclav Bartuska said he doubted a ceasefire between the Ukraine government and Russian-backed separatists would hold through the winter, making it likely that fighting will block deliveries at some point.
"I would say it would be foolish to expect business as usual this winter vis-à-vis transit through Ukraine," said Bartuska, who has served as the EU country's top energy envoy for the past eight years.
"Our baseline scenario for this winter is that there will be no gas through Ukraine, no transit this winter. That is the baseline scenario, that is the expectation."
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