"I think that this is a colossal error of Ukrainian diplomacy, the silence on the issue of the Turkish Stream. Moreover, Turkey has an alternative to Turkish Stream, and this alternative meets its energy policy. This is Turkmen gas for Turkey and for Europe to be transited through Turkey, not only Azerbaijani gas. But here the situation is repeated, which was in the late 90's and early 2000's when Turkey also suddenly changed its priorities and instead of Caspian gas and related pipeline projects - the Blue Stream project through the Black Sea - was implemented, whichwas essentially thesecond - after Yamal-Europe - a bypass project for Ukraine. The answer to the question is eloquent enough why Turkey did it then and why just after the Blue Stream was built, the Turkish Prosecutor General's Office conducted a proper investigation and, as we remember, eight senior officials of the state-owned companyBotasand the Turkish Ministry of Energy, including the minister himself, came under trial on charges of corruption. Now, something similar is repeated, therefore, the Turkish Stream, which in fact is not a Turkish project at all, received priority, and the first stage is realized," Gonchar said.
Turkey's interest, in his words, in this gas pipeline is that having agreed with Russia to implement this project - especially the second line of the gas pipeline - Ankara will receive from Russia a much larger discount on gas than it has today.
"That is, although Gazprom has already provided to Turkey more than 10 percent (discounts - Ed.), the Turks want much more. Russia in this case is really trying to implement or complete the strategy that was outlined in 2003, in order to comprehensively bypass Ukraine or even all transit space between the Baltic and the Black Seas in both directions, from both north and south. And in this case, the threat from the second stage of the Turkish Stream is also quite serious, as it will then push out Azerbaijani gas, which soon in 2020 should enter the European market (the project "Southern Gas Corridor" - Ed.). Because Russia operates on the principle that ThirdEnergy Package on the territory of the EU provides for that 50%reservation of capacities for non-Azerbaijani gas should be also applied to this pipe, which is being built for Azerbaijani gas for Italy. And what gas can be there? Only the Russian from the second stage of the Turkish Stream,"- Gonchar explained.
At the same time, Olexii Melnik, co-director of foreign policy and international security programs at the Razumkov Center, called for paying attention to the positive moments in the Ukrainian-Turkish relations.
"It is a support, which Turkey gives Ukraine on many issues, including not recognizing the annexation of the Crimea, despite the fervent friendship or love that has been observed between Turkey and Russia in recent years. But, returning to real policy, I am sure that it is also advantageous for Turkey to have several 'Streams' from different suppliers, with which it can then trade and bargain for some discounts. From the other side, for Turkey it is very expensive to sell its loyalty to Russia. In addition to the gas pipelines, there is also the Nuclear Power Plant, which is being built for Russian money on conditions that are very advantageous for Turkey, as well as a lot of other reasons. That is, many times we pointed out on these issues to our diplomacy. I want to say that after all, in Turkey the school of diplomacy has such a great tradition and so much of this school is built on Turkish-Russian relations, so, I think the Turkswill not lose in this case. But excuse me, how muchshould they worry about Ukraine more than Ukrainians?"- Melnik noted.
