EU ministers in talks to protect energy supplies
Russian PM Vladimir Putin
Europe’s governments are holding talks today on how to step up the security of EU energy supplies.
The gathering of energy ministers in Brussels is a direct response to the dispute between Russia and Ukraine which has left a dozen EU countries on reduced Russian gas deliveries in sub-zero temperatures.
And hopes that full supplies would be flowing by today have been dashed by a last-minute hitch in talks on a deal between Moscow and Kiev.
The row is over Russia’s decision to turn off the gas tap to Ukraine over claims that Kiev has not paid its bills.
Russia then claimed Ukraine was siphoning off Europe’s supplies to offset its own shortfall.
Both sides flew to Brussels for EU-mediated talks last week, resulting in a deal in which Russia agreed to reopen full supplies as long as international monitors were deployed to check that Ukraine was not tampering with supplies.
The monitors, lead by the European Commission are now in place, but Russia ruled the deal null and void last night over Ukraine’s interpretation of the “terms of reference” for the complex monitoring exercise.
Frustrated EU negotiators issued a statement stating: “The commission considers that all conditions expressed by the two parties (Russia and Ukraine) have been met and there is no reason to delay the restoration of gas supplies any further.”
But with Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin sending his negotiators back to Brussels for more negotiations, the setback delays the restoration of supplies desperately needed in Bulgaria, which has lost all its Russia supplies, and in Slovakia and Greece, where the amount of gas from Russia has been slashed by 97% and 80% respectively, according to commission figures.
The Czech Republic(71%), Austria(66%), Slovenia(50%), Hungary(45%) Romania (34%), Poland(33%), Italy (25%), France (15% and Germany (10%), have also been hit. Supplies to the UK, which only gets 2% of its gas from Russia, are not affected.
But the dispute, similar to one three years ago, has raised new concerns about EU supply security.
A statement from the Czech government, now in the EU presidency, and working round the clock to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, said: “Security of energy supply is a priority for the EU. It involves the responsibility and solidarity of all the member states.
“Therefore, the EU will speed up work on various energy security initiatives. Particular emphasis will be put on priority interconnections both within the EU and with supplier and transit countries, increased transparency, and the developing of crisis mechanisms to tackle temporary supply disruptions."
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