Russia, Ukraine and the Eastern Partnership of the EU

Regarding the role of the Ukraine as an important transit country for Russian gas to Europe, Valerij Yazev, deputy head of the Russian State Duma and president of the Russian Gas Society pointed out, that Gazprom is interested in to decrease the Ukrainian transit monopoly through the construction of new pipelines. Mr. Yazev criticized the Brussels Declaration by the EU and Ukraine from March 2009, which was about the modernization of the Ukrainian pipeline system without Russia. Furthermore he emphasized, that not 5,5 bn. US-Dollar but 15 bn. are necessary to modernize the Ukrainian pipeline system. Juri Poluneev, head of the committee on finance and the banking system of the Ukraine, pointed out, that there is an enormous modernization deficit in the Ukrainian energy economy. In the context of the global financial crisis the Ukrainian government had reduced the energy tariffs for companies to preserve jobs. But as a result the incentives for energy efficiency measures have declined. Taras Tchernovol, first deputy head of the foreign committee of the Ukrainian parliament criticized Russia for its policy, to use Ukrainian domestic problems for its political goals. Furthermore he pointed out, that the energy supply of his country together with the control over the pipeline system is closely connected with the question of Ukrainian sovereignty and its independence from Russia. His proposal, that Ukraine would buy gas from Russia at the Eastern border and would sell it to its own prices the Western border was refused by the Russian side vehemently.

Aleksej Pushkov, director of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian ministry of foreign affairs, emphasized in his speech, that the relations between Russia and the EU has reached an impasse and that we can observe on both sides a hardening of the positions. Vassilij Lichatchev, deputy head of the foreign commission of the Russian Federation Council blamed the EU for its “Euro-egotism”. One example is for him the Eastern partnership of the EU in which 6 very different states are objects of the European policy. Anatolij Orel, director of the Centre for international and contemporary studies in Kiev criticized the Eastern Partnership of the EU because of the lacking accession perspective. The Ukraine prefers direct bilateral relations with the EU and will not be in one basket with 5 different states. Gert Weisskirchen, speaker for foreign policy of the SPD-fraction in the German Bundestag pointed out, that the high mutual dependence of the EU, Russia and the Ukraine should be implementing in practical politics. Regarding the Eastern Partnership he emphasized, that the EU has neither geopolitical goals nor will implement this policy against Russia. Furthermore he said, that the Ukraine itself has to decide, which alliance it will join and not Russia or the EU.