Naftogaz, the CEO of Ukraine’s state-owned oil company, said that despite reports of a nearing contract, no deal between Europe and Azerbaijan is on the table to keep gas flowing via Ukraine after a transit agreement with Russia expires this year.
Oleksiy Cheryshov, speaking to the Kyiv independent on the sidelines of the Kyiv international economic forum on November 7, said: “Over the next couple of months, before the deal ends, we might hear some manipulating and alternative ideas.”
“At this time, there is no alternative model on the table,” adding Ukraine “is preparing to stop the transit of gas by the end” of the year once the agreement expires. Ukraine has stated that it will not extend any transit agreement with Russia once the contract expires.
As the end of the contract approaches, Europe and Ukraine are in talks with Azerbaijan about replacing Russia as a provider.
Bloomberg reported on October 1 that energy companies in Hungary and Slovakia are close to signing a contract with Azerbaijan for up 12-14 billion cubic metres of gas per year. The report cited people familiar with the negotiation.
Bloomberg’s report was contradicted by SPP, the state-owned gas importer in Slovakia. SPP said that European firms had not reached an agreement with Azerbaijan for the replacement of Russian gas flowing through Ukraine.
Ukraine currently transits Russian Gas to the European Union under a deal signed in 2019 with Russian state-owned giant Gazprom, which expires in December 2024.
Slovakia, Austria and Hungary are still heavily dependent on Russian imports, despite the fact that Moscow will be reducing its pipeline gas transit into Europe by 2022.
According to Sergiy Makogon of the Center for European Policy Analysis and former CEO of Ukraine’s Gas Transmission System Operator, Gazprom supplied Slovakia 89% of their gas consumed last year.
Chernyshov stated that countries that rely on Russian Gas will face a problem once transit through Ukraine stops and they are likely to become more vocal in the near future.
Hungary, a country that is friendly to Russia, has already stated last month that it intends to increase its gas purchases from Gazprom in the coming year.
Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani president, said on September 6 that negotiations are underway with the EU and Kyiv for transporting Azeri Gas. Makogon told Kyiv Independent that technically, it would just be Russian gas rebranded to Azeri gas.
Azerbaijan provided Europe with approximately 12 billion cubic meters of gas (bcm), but Brussels and Baku want to increase this to 20 bcm per year by 2030. Makogon, in a CEPA report, said that Baku does not have any excess gas in the near future and has been importing Turkmenistan and Russian gas.
The idea of using Azeri gas to replace Russian gas, which is being promoted by people close to the President’s Office, is still alive.
Five times, guided aerial bombs were used by Russia to strike Zaporizhzhia. The attack damaged houses, an apartment building and a cancer hospital.
The locations of military sites in Ukraine are no longer displayed on Google Maps, said Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Counter-Disinformation Center under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, on Nov. 7.
Naftogaz, the CEO of Ukraine’s state-owned oil company, said that despite reports of a nearing contract, no deal between Europe and Azerbaijan is on the table to keep gas flowing via Ukraine after a transit agreement with Russia expires this year.
The Kyiv Independent interviewed Kurt Volker a few hours after Donald Trump won the U.S. Presidential election. He served as the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations in 2017-2019 and as U.S. Ambassador to NATO in 2008/2009.
Oleh Tatarov has been to Moscow at least 9 times since the initial Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to RFE/RL Schemes, an investigation project that cites flight data.
The President Volodymyr Zelensky insists on the opening of Boryspil International Airport first.
“Peace rewards only the strong,” said President Zelensky.
Sergei Shoigu said that the West should recognize the fact that Russia is winning the war in Ukraine and begin negotiations, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS on November 8.
The U.K. announced on Nov. 7, its largest package of sanction against Russia since May 20,23, focusing primarily on the Russian defense industries and mercenary group.
The fifth meeting will focus, among other topics, on Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine and ongoing escalation of violence in the Middle East.
The Associated Press reported that Eugene Vindman won the Virginia House of Representatives election on Nov. 6, a retired U.S. Army soldier who gained fame for his role in exposing then-President Donald Trump and his twin brother Alexander.
Yoon Suk-Yeol, the South Korean president, told the media that, “Now, depending upon the level of North Korean participation, we will gradually adapt our support strategy in stages.” “This means that we are not ruling the possibility of providing arms.”
The War Zone experts say that even though it is difficult to determine the exact consequences of the Ukrainian attack, the recent strike was “significant in many ways”.
“We understand that America’s core value is to protect democracy and democratic values.” “This remains unchanged, regardless if the elections are held,” Prime Minister Denys shmyhal commented.
Two people were injured in a Russian drone attack on Kyiv. The air raid warning in Ukraine’s capital lasted for eight hours. Over 30 UAVs were shot down by the air defenses.
The Kyiv City Militia Administration reported that Russia launched a drone strike on Kyiv over night on Nov. 6. It struck a residential building and an auto repair shop.
Donald Trump received informal and indirect congratulatory messages from other top Russian officials including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing three Trump-connected sources, reported on Nov. 6 that one idea among Donald Trump’s team to end Russia’s war is to delay Kyiv joining NATO for at least twenty years in exchange of continued arms supplies.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the Moldovan authorities denied accreditation to five Russian international observers prior to the first voting round and the constitutional referendum regarding the EU accession.
Viasna Human Rights Center reported on Nov. 6 that Belarusian authorities had initiated a wave arrests in advance of the January election.
Donald Trump, the U.S. president-elect, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol spoke by phone on November 7, after the former won the U.S. Presidential election. They discussed future cooperation.
This includes 1,400 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
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