According to the author, “the main threat to the energy sector of Ukraine lies in the fact that the lion's share of its assets is in the hands of the pro-Russian, and even Russian oligarchs.

From the first days of the proclamation of Ukraine's sovereignty, the main threat to our national security has been 100 percent dependence on Russia in nuclear power industry, and almost full dependence on supplies of energy resources. In recent years, the Moscow energy factor of economic and political pressure has been significantly weakened. First of all, it is thanks to more than 30% of diversification of nuclear fuel supply from Westinghouse, and second, due to resolute shift of the country towards gas purchase in Western Europe: since November 25, 2015, we have not purchased a single cubic meter of gas from Gazprom”.

But risks remain...

“According to the energy analysts, the fate of our gas transportation system, the underground gas storage facilities and a subsequent role of Ukraine as the main transit country for the Russian gas supplies to Europe, may be a big question in the coming years. Namely Russia and its well-calculated steps to strengthen its influence in Europe can lead to this. It refers to the Nord Stream-2 pipeline. A lot has already been written on this topic, but only recently some nuances became known about Kremlin’s backstage games with the structures of the European Commission, which can make the assumptions realized.

Nord Stream-2: Impartiality test for the European officials

As the experts argue, this project is a threating challenge not only for Ukraine, but for all three Baltic states, the «Visegrad Four» countries (+ Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania), their energy security and the prospects of the energy markets integration. In fact, Gazprom, despite a great resistance of the V4, tries to convince Bratislava that it will save transit through the Slovak GTS and will use profitable scheme of the Russian gas supply through the second line of the future “Turkish Stream” through the Eastring route developed by the Slovak company Eustream.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Visegrad Group, the principled position of the Polish company PGNiG, which appealed to the European Court with a claim of violation by Gazprom of the EU competition rules and consumer rights, the Nord Stream-2 project has not yet received a "green light" in the EU. The European Court, the decisions of which, according to lawyers, are final and not subject to appeal, suspended the validity of the European Commission’s lobbying permit for Gazprom’s expanded access to the German pipeline OPAL. OPAL is an overland extension of the Russian future pipe that the Kremlin plans to build for its gas supply to Europe, bypassing Ukraine. But, it is still too early to celebrate.

— We are witnesses of Russia’s attempts to split the active solidarity of Central and Eastern Europe on this issue - said Mykhailo Gonchar, president of the Centre for Global Studies "Strategy XXI". – In particular, it is about Gazprom’s efforts to neutralize the Slovak opposition. But I hope that the Slovak government will maintain its principled position on the Nord Stream-2 blocking. Moreover, now many EU leaders finally reached an understanding that the pipeline would tighten more gas noose of Europe's dependence on the Kremlin.

Germany, as the main player, also inclined to this conclusion, - says M. Gonchar. - If Berlin recently supported this project at all levels, the last attitude begins to change. A few months ago, the chairman of the Bundestag Committee on Foreign Policy Norbert Röttgen called on the German government to suspend the implementation of the Russian project: "The government should retreat from its position that the Nord Stream-2 is just a business, and no politics here. The project is wrong in terms of both energy and foreign policy. It is a contrary to all the accepted principles, which holds the EU in these areas". N. Röttgen, according to Mykhailo Gonchar, urged Germany not to separate the game and to show solidarity with Poland, the Baltic countries and Ukraine.

National interests must prevail

President of the Centre for Global Studies "Strategy XXI", supporting a tough stance of known European politician, focused not only on the Russian project. He had in mind also Polish Northern Gate project, which is to bring Norwegian gas to Central Europe. This project now gets a new window of opportunity. Vice President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič announced his support to it and that Europe should not waste this chance.

— Northern Gate together with the LNG terminal in Swinoujscie can become the second key element of the North-South Gas Corridor. Until recently, - explained Mykhailo Gonchar - this project is passionately maintained at V4 level, and perhaps its greatest lobbyist was Slovakia. Now, Slovakia is exposed to furious pressure of the Kremlin. So, a more active support of the Polish project at the Visegrad and the entire EU level would be appropriate. It meets the strategic interests of the Visegrad and the European Energy Union, the interests of the Energy Community. I think, the official Kyiv should also support a strategic approach more fundamentally and consistently at all levels, if we seek the support of European partners to strengthen the energy independence of Ukraine.

— Implementation of the Northern Gate and North-South Gas Corridor projects meets our national interests. Remember even great capabilities of our GTS with its unique network of underground gas storage facilities in the western part of the country. All this together can contribute to the practical implementation of long-standing dream of the Visegrad and Baltic countries - greater integration of gas markets in Central and Eastern Europe.

However, we should finally determine the appropriate depth of integration in the EU, - says M. Gonchar - in order not to create, in the case of continuing negative controversial processes in the EU, additional excessive dependencies. We can reach optimum only by working hard, but not looking at Brussels or Berlin, keeping an eye on Moscow, and waiting for the EU directives and the money. Looking at Brussels, often one could mark there a mirroring of the Kremlin’s position. It, at the less, is astonishing, as Ukraine but not Russia has the Association Agreement with the EU, and Ukraine but not Russia is a member of the Eastern Partnership and the Energy Community. So, we should be wide awake in relations with our hybrid European partners, to resist to new, this time gas, “Munich Agreement” of XXI century, which some Western “partners” have tended to for long periods of time”.