Ukraine Ready to Supply Extra Gas to Europe

Ukrainian Minister for Energy and Coal Industry Yuriy Boiko has said that Ukraine is ready to work with Russia to supply gas to Europe in severe weather conditions to ensure gas supplies don't reach critically low levels.

In an interview with CNN, he said, "We are ready, upon official request from Russia, to grant extra gas to Europe." He said that Ukraine was ready and able to cooperate with the EU and Russia to ensure that gas needs were met across Europe in times of adverse weather conditions, as seen this week and last. 

Minister Boiko again reaffirmed that Ukraine had not been responsible for a drop in gas supply from Russia to its European customers, despite claims from Gazprom last week that Ukraine had caused the shortfall. 

He said that the gas had not been supplied from Russian Gazprom in the first place and the country had not siphoned off gas for its citizens. According to Minister Boiko, Ukraine only received 400 million cubic metres of gas a day from Gazprom, not the 500 million cubic metres of gas expected.

In the future, he told CNN in the interview, Ukraine could help to prevent such shortages of supply by cooperating with Russia. The ministry's press department also said that it could supply gas to Europe from its underground gas storage facilities in future.