The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will continue as long as the corresponding contracts are in force. Importantly, Russia has no such task as to suspend the supplies of Russian gas through Ukraine following the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Dmitry Birichevsky, Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said according to RIA Novosti publication.
"Currently, the contracts are in force. Then further negotiations between Gazprom and their partners in Ukraine are to take place. We have no task to suspend gas supplies through Ukraine," he said.
Birichevsky added that Russia allegedly never used energy and its natural resources as leverage, pressure or blackmail.
"If economic entities agree, if there is a need for Russian gas in certain regions of Europe, the gas supplies will be reliable and predictable for consumers," he assured.