The pipe is an excuse: Putin spoke about Russian gas supplies to Europe
Russia advocates depoliticization of economic issues and is ready to supply gas to the EU. However, Kiev stops transit and thus "bites Europe's hand" as fuel prices will inevitably rise there. Vladimir Putin told journalists on December 26 at the end of the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. Other topics included the Ukrainian crisis. Putin spoke for the first time about statements that prophesize the end of the conflict in 2025: next year, the Russian Federation's number one task is to achieve the goals of the EEU, he emphasized. At the meeting of the EAEU leaders, the heads of state discussed the prospects of the association and approved Iran as an observer country.
How the EAEU summit ended
A series of major international events with the participation of CIS leaders came to an end in the Leningrad Region. On December 26, Vladimir Putin concluded his three-day business trip to the Northern Capital by participating in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.
- The activity of the Eurasian Union contributes to the expansion of trade and investment exchanges, building up business contacts, deepening cooperation ties, and most importantly, integration interaction brings real benefits to each of the members of our association, actually helps to ensure stable, sustainable growth of the economies of the "five" states and the Eurasian region as a whole, leads to an improvement in the quality of life and well-being of citizens of our countries, - said Vladimir Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at a narrow meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council
In a narrow format, the participants were to discuss, in particular, the formation of common markets for gas, as well as oil and oil products.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was also supposed to attend the meeting, as Yerevan is the chairman of the association in 2024. However, he did not come to Russia due to a positive test for a coronavirus and spoke at the meeting via videoconference. He only recalled his main priorities in the organization - the creation of common markets, elimination of barriers within the EAEU, development of transport and logistics infrastructure and strengthening international ties.
After the communication moved to the closed part and lasted for several hours. The EAEU leaders reached consensus on a number of issues at the meeting, Vladimir Putin said.
On January 1, 2025, the presidency of the EAEU will pass to Belarus. The country's President Alexander Lukashenko intends to send Minsk's plans to each leader in writing. The next meeting of the EAEU leaders will be held on May 29 in the capital of the republic. But Nikol Pashinyan said at once: the Armenian delegation will not come to Belarus, although it is quite ready to participate online.
President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
The leaders of the two countries have had strained relations since the summer: after Lukashenko's statement on the conflict between Baku and Yerevan over Karabakh, in which he called the operation a "liberation war". Then the Armenian prime minister accused the Belarusian president of supporting Azerbaijan and said that he would not come to Belarus again as long as Lukashenko leads it. Against this background, on December 26, they argued about the format of participation of the Armenian delegation in the next such meeting.
- What is your problem? Is it far to Minsk? Is there no one to give you a ride? We will organize the delivery of your delegation, if necessary," the Belarusian leader responded.
Pashinyan replied that he "has already made a public statement on this issue, and this statement remains in force." Lukashenko said that the Belarusians would "consider the statement" of the Armenian prime minister.
- Maybe there won't be a TV set for you to speak remotely," replied Alexander Lukashenko.
- No problem. I propose to proceed to the signing procedure. I understand that maybe you still have problems with TV sets," Nikol Pashinyan concluded the dialog.
Political scientist Dmitry Yelovsky believes that Armenia is in a difficult situation today. On the one hand, economically it receives huge bonuses from membership in the EAEU: in 2023, the republic's GDP increased by 8.7%. This was due to trade with Russia and other countries in the union. On the other hand, politically Armenia is trying to orient itself towards the EU and NATO.
The parties eventually moved on to signing documents in complete silence. At the end, Vladimir Putin walked out with Lukashenko, continuing his conversation with him.
As a result of the meeting, Iran was granted observer status at the EAEU, the decision was taken at the summit of the association. The heads of state also signed an agreement on a unified system of customs transit. Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Bakytzhan Sagintayev said that the agreement gives other states the opportunity to join the transit system of the EAEU. Central Asian countries, China and other trade partners of the association may become beneficiaries of the project.
Prospects for the completion of the EEU in 2025
Closer to the evening, Vladimir Putin went out to talk to journalists. Most of the questions were not about the agenda. In the center of attention - the crisis in Ukraine and statements of the team of the next head of the White House Donald Trump. He promised to end the conflict next year. The head of state responded to this with a saying: "We have a saying: "You should drink honey with your mouth".
However, Putin declared Russia's intention to achieve successes on the line of contact and all the goals of the special military operation, which will be the number one task next year. By the way, if the need arises, Russia may use the hypersonic missile system "Oreshnik" again, but it will not be in a hurry.
Test launch of a ballistic missile
He also commented on the emerging reports about freezing the conflict on the condition of postponing Ukraine's accession to NATO for 10-20 years. The President told the story of how back in 2021 Joe Biden offered the Russian leader to postpone Ukraine's accession to NATO for 10-15 years. According to the head of state, he then "reasonably replied that yes, Ukraine is not ready." "But you will prepare it and accept it. From the point of view of historical - distance and timing - it's one moment. For us, what is the difference - today, tomorrow or in 10 years," the Russian leader explained.
He added that he was unfamiliar with the statements of Trump's future team. By the way, visiting Russian Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fitzo expressed readiness to provide the territory of his country as a platform for negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. For the Russian Federation, if it comes to negotiations, this is an acceptable option, the president noted. According to him, a peaceful settlement in Ukraine was the main topic of conversation during Fitzo's visit on December 22.
Russian gas supplies to Europe
At the same time, it is no secret that Vladimir Putin and Robert Fitzo also discussed options that would allow gas from Russia to continue flowing to interested European states. Slovakia is one of the EU countries that continue to purchase fuel from Russia. At the same time, transit is via Ukraine and the contract expires on December 31. Kiev said that it refuses to extend it.
The President reminded that Russia has always advocated depoliticization of economic issues and has not hindered gas supplies to Europe. For example, Moscow is ready to send them through Poland, and instantly, since the existing gas pipeline "Yamal - Europe" passes through its territory, Warsaw itself closed the route. "It is enough only to turn on the button - and that's it, and will go through the territory of Poland," - reminded the President of the Russian Federation.
Yamal-Europe gas pipeline compressor station
Meanwhile, Ukraine, stopping the transit of Russian gas to Europe, is "pecking the hand" that feeds it. Because of this, gas prices in Europe will inevitably rise. "It's not easy for them there as it is - the gas price has already risen under $500 per thousand cubic meters. Now prices will rise again. But it is not us who provoke it, it is their policy," he said.
- It was important for Fitzo to show that he had agreed with Russia to move the delivery-acceptance point. That Russia agreed to sign an additional agreement to the Gazprom contract. And it is Slovak gas that will go through Ukraine, because Ukraine has been saying for a long time that it does not want to sign a contract with Gazprom, not to prolong the existing one, and so on. But they are ready to discuss with the Europeans how to preserve transit. And now Fitzo wants to show that everyone is ready: Europe is ready to move the delivery-acceptance point, Russia is ready, and only Zelensky is stubborn and is creating an energy crisis in the whole of Europe," Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and a leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund, told Izvestia.
Vladimir Putin stated that it will not be possible to renegotiate the contract before the new year - the time of its expiration. He once again stated that Russia is ready to resume transit, including through third contractors. For example, through Turkish, Hungarian, Slovak and Azerbaijani companies. But even in this case Kiev is blocking such a prospect with its arbitration suit.
- We have a contract with them Ship or pay - transit or pay. They closed and then sued us in court demanding to pay for what was not transited through Ukraine. When Gazprom asked, "Are you crazy? You closed this transit." - "We closed it, but you pay us the money anyway." This is nonsense," Vladimir Putin explained.
At the same time, Russia still maintains transit of at least 14 million cubic meters of gas per day through the territory of Ukraine and pays for it, the president finished. Separately, Vladimir Putin answered a question from Izvestia correspondent Nikolai Ivanov about what, in his opinion, should be done to stop attempts to "set fire" to Russia's borders, especially in the context of potential attempts to shake up the situation in Belarus and the risks of Moldova becoming a new hot spot on the map. "Be strong," the president concluded.
