Negotiations on Maintaining Gas Transit via Ukraine
Negotiations on Maintaining Gas Transit via Ukraine

Author(s): Bartosz Bieliszczuk
Subject(s): Supranational / Global Economy, Governance, Environmental and Energy policy, International relations/trade, Transport / Logistics
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: Russian Federation; Ukraine; European Union; gas transit via Ukraine; gas market reforms; Nord Stream 2; gas pipeline construction;
Summary/Abstract: The trilateral gas talks between the European Commission (EC), Ukraine, and Russia that resumed in July face serious challenges. The reasons for that include the Russians’ attempt to link the negotiations to other issues and Ukraine’s stalled gas market reforms. Furthermore, the EC does not have formal tools to influence either country. This may change if EU Member States support amendments to the gas directive and the mandate for the EU-Russia negotiations on the status of the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline project. However, this will require countries that support the pipeline construction to overcome their reluctance to back the changes.

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