Russia's first deputy foreign minister, Vladimir Titov, told Sputnik on Thursday that it was unreasonable for Poland to change the scheme of gas transit from Russia, as it would cost Warsaw its income, but Moscow has other alternatives to the Polish route in any case
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th June, 2020) Russia's first deputy foreign minister, Vladimir Titov, told Sputnik on Thursday that it was unreasonable for Poland to change the scheme of gas transit from Russia, as it would cost Warsaw its income, but Moscow has other alternatives to the Polish route in any case.
Titov's comment comes amid the possibility of completely abandoning the use of the Polish stretch of the Yamal-Europe pipeline for the transit of Russian gas. The contract on gas transit via Poland expired on May 16. Starting May 17, the transit via the Polish stretch of the pipeline occurs only after auctions. In May, the pipeline capacities were reserved on a day-by-day basis. Auctions for June and Q3 had been held in advance, and 94 percent and 80 percent of the pipeline were reserved, respectively.
According to the diplomat, the Poles are taking economic issues to the political plane, "including even in those areas where long-term cooperation was mutually beneficial."
"They tried to speculate in Warsaw that Moscow was supposedly an unreliable gas supplier. We have proven our business reputation over the decades. So Warsaw's desire to change the existing gas transit scheme, according to our experts, is irrational, first of all for Poland itself, which is losing a stable source of income," Titov said.
The official added that while the Russian side had other alternatives, its "Polish partners had yet to explain why they would want to exercise their political swings at the expense of other Europeans."
In the meantime, Titov went on to comment on Poland's new National Security Strategy, which referred to Russian foreign policy as aggressive.
On May 12, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a document that identified the main threats to Poland's security, with Russia being one of them.
"The ruling circles of Poland have long been reciting the mantra about the allegedly 'aggressive policy' pursued by Russia. There is a deliberate Warsaw's refusal to build constructive and good-neighborly relations with us. The Polish leadership, basing the document of national importance on propagandizing the imaginary 'Russian threat,' once again demonstrated a depressingly low level of responsibility for the consequences before its people and allies," Titov said.
Some other European countries, particularly NATO member states, share similar anti-Russian rhetoric. Romania, too, has recently proposed a National Defense Strategy, referring to Russia as "a threat for the region since World War II."
Over the past few years, NATO has increased its military presence near Russia's borders, while Moscow has repeatedly warned that this could spark a conflict, destabilize the region and lead to a global arms race.
