Ukraine was and remains a reliable partner of the EU in the issues of energy cooperation, particularly gas transit, as stated by President Petro Poroshenko during the joint media statement with President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker following the Ukraine-EU Summit.

The Head of State informed that the issue of energy security, energy solidarity between Ukraine and the EU had been discussed in details at the Summit.

“We confirmed our common position that Ukraine is a reliable partner of the EU in the issues of gas transit. We must further preserve the key role of Ukraine in transportation of Russian gas to European consumers,” Petro Poroshenko said. According to him, the parties agreed that the visit of the Vice President of the European Commission to Moscow on November 25 would be related to the preparation of trilateral Ukraine-EU-Russia consultations on the issue of Russian gas supply.

The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine and the EU would continue to enhance energy partnership. The Memorandum of Understanding between Ukraine and the European Commission signed today is a documentary evidence of that. “We agreed to intensify dialogue on energy security,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.

The President also noted that the participants of the Summit had frankly discussed the issues of OPAL and Nord Stream 2.

“Obviously, the decision to expand access of Gazprom to the gas market, to our mind, does not meet the Association Agreement and the Treaty on Energy Community,” the Head of State noted informing that the parties had agreed to continue consultations.

The President emphasized that one year had passed on November 21 since Ukraine had refused to use Russian gas for its own needs. “The first year has passed since Ukraine didn’t have a single cubic meter of Russian gas and the attempt to put Ukraine down on its knees by energy blackmail failed,” he noted.