Alexey Gromov, Principal Director on Energy studies at the Institute for Energy and Finance, commented on the prospects for resuming Russian gas supplies to Europe to Kommersant FM.
It is profitable for Moscow to sell gas to Europe, the question is on what terms, Alexey Gromov says:
"It is obvious that Russia would be interested in at least partially resuming supplies to the European gas market, given its premium value and high profitability for Russian gas exports, but in the absence of any conditions from the European side.
The Europeans had previously said that they were ready to consider the issue of returning Russian gas exports, subject to the settlement of legal disputes between Gazprom and a number of European gas counterparties due to the situation in 2022. I think that we will categorically ignore such legal claims and demand that they be stopped. Even in the case of an agreement on Ukraine, we need to understand where and through what infrastructure we will be able to resume supplies to Europe. Because Ukraine has actually destroyed the Sudzha gas station, and today only the southern branch of the Ukrainian gas transit through the Sokhranovka gas station can potentially operate to Europe.
The Turkish Stream is currently overloaded with gas, which we are sending through its Balkan branch to Serbia, Hungary and a number of other Southern European countries. It is not possible to increase the volume of supplies there. Therefore, the key issue of resuming gas supplies to Europe is probably unblocking the situation around the preserved branch of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. Let me remind you that it is not licensed by either Germany or the European Union. Therefore, it is obvious that all the announced intentions of European gas companies today rest on the unresolved status of Nord Stream 2. It is necessary to go through certain certification procedures for this pipe for the purposes of the European gas market."
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