OREANDA-NEWS. A new contract for the transit of Russian gas for the next 15 years with certain guarantees from European banks or companies may become some compensation for Ukraine for the launch of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, said Sergei Makogon, head of the Ukrainian GTS Operator.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in an interview with Spiegel earlier said that Washington and Berlin are discussing steps to ensure the strategic and economic interests of Ukraine in connection with the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. According to him, the parties are considering "a number of practical measures." Blinken said he hoped these steps would prevent or mitigate "potential damage" from the pipeline. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, Kiev is not conducting formal negotiations on compensation after the launch of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline.

"Obviously, hydrogen ideas cannot be equivalent compensation. These are different areas of cooperation with the EU. The only acceptable option for us is a new gas transit contract for 45-50 billion cubic meters of gas per year for the next 15 years with financial guarantees from European banks or companies. ", - said Makogon, commenting on the issue of acceptable compensation for Kiev in the event of the launch of Nord Stream-2, in an interview with the Internet edition Liga.Biznes, published on Tuesday.

Russia and Ukraine at the end of December 2019 signed a package of agreements on the continuation of gas transit through the territory of the country. Among them there was a transit contract for five years, according to which Gazprom guarantees the pumping of 65 billion cubic meters of gas in the first year and 40 billion in the next four. These arrangements ensured that transit continued beyond the expiration of the previous contract.