Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister: 'Russia does not give us access to oil and gas in the Black Sea'
Represented Kiev at the Hague arbitration hearings on the division of rights in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, claimed the internationalization of the Kerch Strait, and that gas reserves in the Black Sea would allow Ukraine to be energy independent.
"The Russian Federation does not allow us access to oil and gas reserves in the Black Sea," said Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Elena Zerkal.
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| Ukraine wants access to oil and gas exploitation in the Black Sea. Photo: Sputnik |
According to her, since the spring of 2014, the Russian Federation has extracted "more than 9 billion cubic meters of natural gas" there. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is trying to ensure energy independence by developing domestic natural gas production. The required volume of 5 to 6 billion cubic meters per year, which can be extracted in the Black Sea.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that Ukraine's objection to the arbitration court was not to resolve disputes related to the interpretation or application of the convention, but rather in the hope of achieving legal "recognition" of "sovereignty over Crimea".
In addition, the convention does not regulate issues related to the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, since these waters are internal waters. If the arbitration tribunal agrees with Russia's arguments, the case initiated by Ukraine will end at this stage legally, otherwise the process will continue to consider the dispute in practice.
