Oleksandr Turchynov: Counteraction to energy blackmail is the issue of Europe's energy and economic security
10 October 2014, 12:55
"The energy war is a continuation of expansionist ambitions of the Russian Federation. There is an attempt of Ukraine's energy blockade. It is also an attempt to influence the stand of Ukraine and of the whole Europe using the energy levers", said Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov on Friday at the meeting with Speakers of Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden.
During the meeting, Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland Bogdan Borusewicz stressed the importance of stable reverse supply of energy carriers to Ukraine, and introduced an initiative of providing Ukraine with surplus of Polish coal.
"A consolidated position of the European Union on energy security is very important for us, since Russian energy blackmail is a problem not only for our country. This is the issue of energy and economic security of the whole Europe", claimed Oleksandr Turchynov. There should be a consolidated position regarding this, otherwise Russia will try to introduce differentiation of prices, volume of supply, will try to break down European unity, and hence get lobby groups to support its anti-European policy".
The Chairperson of the Parliament also claimed that Ukraine really needs to find "an alternative to Russian gas monopoly". "Therefore, reverse gas supplies from Europe are of great importance for us. In order for this format to be working efficiently, there should be no blocking of reverse gas supplies to Ukraine", he added.
Speaking about the problem of national coal industry, Oleksandr Turchynov emphasized that the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, where the most powerful centres of this industry are, were seized and their infrastructure, which ensures transportation of coal to the central part of Ukraine, was ruined.
"We really need alternatives in this difficult times of energy supplies, and I am sure the government will systematically work, with Poland as well", he said.