EU, Ukraine discuss cooperation in energy sector

EU Commissioner for energy Gunther Oettinger met here Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan and discussed how the EU can support Ukraine in the energy sector. The two men, during the meeting late on Wednesday, also signed the 8th joint EU-Ukraine report on the "Implementation of the EU-Ukraine Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation during 2013." Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Oettinger said "our main interest is to look which support can be given to Ukraine, and the energy sector is one of the key sectors, therefore, we spoke about energy infrastructure, we spoke about how to modernize and renovate the existing and important gas transit system. "We spoke about gas prices for households and consumers in Ukraine, and what is acceptable, which increase of gas prices is acceptable for the Ukrainian households and citizens. We need a balanced strategy," he said. On his part, Prodan said he received from the EU side "very good signals about the help that is much needed in Ukraine; that is a broader diversification of gas supplies to Ukraine. We have a serious risk with regard to the possible limitation of gas supply to Ukraine. We have serious risks as to a drastic raise of prices in gas that we are buying from (Russian energy giant) Gazprom." "The gas price has to be market-based and not politically motivated as we have it in the current days. The gas prices now in Ukraine with Gazprom are politically motivated," he stressed.