Platts: Reforming Ukraine's gas market key to EU security, EC tells Putin
Reforming Ukraine's gas market and gas transit arrangements are key to resolving EU energy security issues for Russian gas, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday.
"The long-term solution toward a functioning European gas market can only be the satisfactory re-arrangement of transit relations through Ukraine, and a market reform of the energy system of Ukraine both on the basis of a legally and economically sound and transparent regime," Barroso said.
Barroso was responding on behalf of the EU to an April 10 letter from Putin to EU leaders on gas security.
Barroso said that it was "particularly urgent" to start a "structured and comprehensive dialogue" on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine and transit through Ukraine to the EU.