Interesting next step in the saga:
Norway will pay Ukraine a budget subsidy of $15 million:
http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1264514/ramblerAnd this can be prolonged for 3 consecutive years.
The size of the sum is a small token compared to the billions of dollars that Russia poured into Ukraine to keep its economy afloat through various grants, gas price reduction and loans.
It's actually $30 million this year, with $15 million coming in the first payment:
http://www.gazeta.ru/business/news/2014/11/18/n_6661641.shtmlThe problem is the political backdrop in Norway itself: only a month ago the government drew sharp criticism for breaking its promises and pulling a historically large sum from the Oil Fund to balance the Norwegian budget (as well as cutting spending to already strained healths and education sectors). And I am not happy that part of my almost 45% tax goes to helping a coup extremist brown government.
And now comes the interesting bit: Ukraine can get 8 billion m3 of gas from Norway:
http://www.gazeta.ru/business/news/2014/11/18/n_6661701.shtmlAnd Yatsenjuk sais that the contract with Statoil is more profitable than with Gasprom:
http://www.ukrinform.ua/rus/news/kontrakt_s_statoil_bolee_vigoden_chem_s_gazpromom___premer_ministr_1685511They will not disclose the details so that "Russian would not be able to sleep peacefully", he said
I am all for diversification, but let's hope that Ukraine does not (re)pay Norway in the same way they (re)pay Russia.
Looks like it's Norway's turn to subsidise Ukraine.
I have a feeling I know where the money will be coming from: Lithuania. Norway already rented it a floating LNG at an astronomic price (stationed in to the port of Klaipeda, where there are no gas lines), and Statoil will be selling gas at about $400 m3. Good for Norway.
Yatsenjuk also opens up for Norwegian companies to directly investing in the GTS and UGS in Ukraine:
http://112.ua/glavnye-novosti/yacenyuk-ukraina-mozhet-dopustit-norvezhskie-kompanii-k-uchastiyu-v-konsorciumah-po-upravleniyu-gts-i-phg-147188.htmlThe sale has started.