Next Round of Ukrainian Transit Talks Begins

Another round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the EU began in Berlin on December 19, to agree terms for Russian gas transit through Ukraine from the start of next year.

The current long-term contract between Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz, is due to expire on December 31.

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic, leading the EU-brokered negotiations on establishing a new deal, said on social media on December 18 that it was “high time to send a positive message to markets and consumers.”

Naftogaz expressed doubt that the talks would lead to a breakthrough, however.

“It is difficult to predict the outcome of negotiations with Gazprom. I hope the contract will be signed, but I think that the possibility of signing the transit contract by 1 January is low,” Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev said in a Twitter message.