Ukraine Sees No Gas Crisis This Winter

The First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Valeriy Khoroshkovskyi has said that there will be no gas crisis in Ukraine this winter.

Speaking in response to a question by New Europe at a press conference in Kiev, Minister Khoroshkovskyi said that he did not foresee any issues with supply in the coming colder months.

"I believe that in the nearest future, in the nearest winter, there will be no crisis because we work within the frameworks of the agreement that has been signed," he said. "I see no problems for the EU first of all because of some troubles that may exist between Ukraine and Russia. I’m sure this winter will be okay."

In January and February this year, a gas crisis hit several countries with the EU as a cold snap increased demand and supply dropped through Ukraine. Media reports said that Gazprom was struggling to keep up with supply demands in light of the extreme cold and could not meet its commitments to customers.

However, Gazprom then alleged that it had no issues in meeting the gas demands of its customers, instead accusing Ukraine of taking more gas than it was due.

"On some days, up to 40 million cubic metres of gas were stuck in Ukraine," Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller said in February. "No doubt that it inflicted both financial and reputational damage on Gazprom. Meanwhile, there is no efficient mechanism to control the behaviour of Naftogaz Ukrainy in such a situation."

Ukraine hit back angrily saying that it had not siphoned supply and had only taken what was it was contracted to take.

"Ukraine did not siphon off a single cubic meter of gas at the expense of Russian gas transit to Europe," Deputy Board Chairman of Naftogaz, Vadim Chuprun, retorted. "We are stating this officially and this is confirmed by corresponding documents. We fulfilled clearly and in full all of our contractual obligations for the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe."