Below is a statement released by Gazprom following talks in Brussels on the creation of a monitoring system for gas transit.

Gazprom proposed a multilateral protocol that would include producers, purchasers, transporters and independent experts in the monitoring process, as well as the Russian and Ukraine energy ministries, the EU Commission, and Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy.  10 purchaser countries had already signed it, but it was rejected by Ukraine. 

The EU Commission then produced a far more limited proposal involving just gas experts and EU officials.  Gazprom rejected this as inadequate for monitoring the Ukrainian transit effectively.

Gazprom Statement on Multilateral Transit Monitoring

Gazprom today held top-level talks in Brussels with EU leaders in a determined effort to achieve a resolution to the gas transit dispute.  Alexei Miller, CEO of Gazprom, and Alexander Medvedev, Director-General of Gazprom Export, met EU Commission President João Manuel Barroso, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering, and EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.  

Mr Miller called for an urgent solution to the problem, reiterated Gazprom’s intention to resume gas supplies as soon as satisfactory conditions for monitoring the flow of transit gas through Ukraine are agreed, and made constructive and detailed proposals to establish a workable multilateral monitoring process. 

Gazprom appreciates the efforts made today by the EU Commission to help broker an agreement on the multilateral monitoring question,  but regrets that as yet no agreement has been reached. 

Gazprom believes that only a comprehensive and genuinely multilateral monitoring team will guarantee the full, fair and effective scrutiny of the transit process, thus preventing misinterpretation and accusations in the future.  Monitors should be selected from all stakeholders, including EU recipient countries, the EU Commission, the Ukrainian and Russian authorities, and independent experts, as well as representatives from Naftogaz Ukrainy and Gazprom themselves.  Anything less risks producing a partial and inaccurate picture of gas transit volumes. 

Gazprom will keep pressing for a resolution of the crisis, and will continue the search for an agreement with its Ukrainian counterpart.