The gas supply of Ukraine is entirely dependent on the transit of Russian gas. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this at the press conference in Beijing, recalling the issues on the agenda of the two countries and issues of an economic field related to the transit agreement between Gazprom and Naftogaz, which expires in the 2019 year.
“What if there is no transit? The reverse is a virtual one, and how has our gas, which goes to Western Europe, been constructed from a Soviet-era gas pipeline? There is a branch from the transit gas pipe to the whole of Ukraine. The professionals know it perfectly well, but the people have no clue about that,” the Russian leader outlined.
“But this is nonsense, it's a delusion, it's a deception. There is no real reverse! This is not possible, in the morning to let gas through the pipe with transit to Europe, and at night to turn it into the reverse mode. It's just technically impossible. Gas goes to Europe, the branch from transit gas pipelines goes to the entire territory of Ukraine. Gas is taken in the usual mode. Then on paper, it is written that this is a reverse," he said.
“This is a very serious issue! They are fooling around, and engaging themselves in some kind of political quarrel, instead of thinking about an ordinary citizen of Ukraine, who lives by current concerns and is forced to pay a bigger price for these political tricks", the President of the Russian Federation added.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine would remain without gas if it does not prolong the contract on the transit of Russian gas. At the same time, he noted that Ukraine receives gas twice expansive as it could receive.