Gazprom chief casts doubt on Kiev gas deal

Report of an interview with Alexander Medvedev, Gazprom’s deputy chief executive and in charge of exports at Gazprom.

Amongst the points raised in the interview, Mr Medvedev said that Rosukrenergo, the Swiss-based intermediary at the heart of the strategically sensitive gas trade between Russia and Ukraine, will remain in place for now. This is despite the fact that Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukraine’s Prime Mminister, insisted Rosukrenergo, which is 50 per cent owned by Gazprom and 50 per cent owned by two Ukrainian businessmen, be removed as an intermediary, saying the company posed a threat to European energy security due to its opaque ownership structure.

ESO: Background information http://www.europeansources.info/record/russia-and-ukraine-end-gas-stand-off/

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