- Title: Russia's Putin says Russia will keep gas transit via ukraine
- Date: 19th December 2019
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (DECEMBER 19, 2019) (RUSSIAN POOL) ANNUAL NEWS CONFERENCE BY RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN IN PROGRESS JOURNALIST LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "Despite the construction of new infrastructure facilities, such as Nord Stream 1, Nord Stream 2, TurkStream, (CONTINUES OVER AUDIENCE) we will maintain (gas) transit through Ukraine. The question is about the volume of gas transit and the (CONTINUES OVER PUTIN IN SHOT) time in which a contract can be concluded." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "We're interested in this ourselves (CONTINUES OVER WIDE SHOT), we want this, it's a convenient route. By the way, the Ukrainian route to Europe is longer than the route across the Baltic Sea, it's longer (CONTINUES OVER JOURNALIST) and it's more expensive for us, but still in central and southern Europe (CONTINUES OVER PUTIN IN SHOT) the route is tried and tested, and we're prepared to maintain it." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "We want to solve this problem. (CHANGE OF FRAME) I'm convinced, as a lawyer by education, that the decision of the Svea Court of Appeal of Sweden is not based on law, but is more likely politically charged." PUTIN SPEAKING AT CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "We would be ready to supply gas to Ukraine at a discounted rate, actually, I've already mentioned that 20 or 25 percent could be agreed on and then it would be possible to reduce (prices) for the end consumer and not raise (rates) as you (referring to Ukraine) now plan to from January 1 next year. As far as I know, all the concessions are being cancelled, the average price of gas will be over 300 dollars (CONTINUES OVER AUDIENCE) for every category of end consumer including private individuals. I think we will manage to reach an agreement and we're on the way to reaching this agreement." JOURNALIST LISTENING TO PUTIN'S ANSWER NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2020 10:26
- Keywords: Putin Putin's annual news conference Russia Vladimir Putin gas transit ukrainian gas supplies
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAN672F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia planned to maintain gas transit through Ukraine during his annual news conference in Moscow on Thursday (December 19).
He said that Russia planned to keep transporting gas along the Ukrainian pipeline despite it being longer and more expensive than the alternative across the Baltic Sea.
Putin added that it was only a question of the volume of gas and the time in which an agreement can be reached.
Ukraine and Russia have been holding negotiations on a new gas transit deal to replace a 10-year agreement that expires at the end of this year. Moscow has previously said the transit tariffs proposed by Ukraine to ship Russian gas through its territory next year were too high, a claim dismissed by Kiev.
Putin made the comments during his annual news conference. About 1,900 journalists from Russia and abroad have been accredited to attend the event, according to the state TV channel Russia 24.
In 2018, it took almost four hours for Putin to answer reporters' questions.
(Production: Maria Vasylieva, Kateryna Malofieieva) - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None