RIA Novosti: Ukraine, Turkmenistan Team up Against South Stream

Ukraine-Turkmenistan relations have thawed lately as both post-Soviet countries are opposed to bypass routes for Russian gas exports. Ukraine is trying to secure Europe’s support for its position.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made Turkmenistan’s first official visit to Ukraine after a ten-year break. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych visited Turkmenistan in September 2011. The two officials discussed the European Commission’s decision to include the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline as a key component of its Southern Corridor initiative.

Turkmenistan seems to be losing patience on this issue and is now trying to persuade Ukraine to put up a more pronounced resistance to Russia’s South Stream project by pressuring both Russia and the EU. At this point, Ukraine’s criticisms of Gazprom are only mild as they maintain hope for reaching an agreement on gas consortium plans and a reduction in Russian gas prices from the current $420 per 1,000 cu m.  MORE