Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said on Vesti Nedeli program on Russia-1 TV channel that Gazprom’s $2.9 billion payment to Naftogaz of Ukraine was a difficult decision for the Russian side.
“There was a choice between bad and worse. But all of us together, we can lose much more, unprecedented amounts,” said Kozak as quoted by TASS.
In mid-December, Gazprom and Naftogaz agreed on the terms and volumes of Russian gas transit to Europe. The parties also agreed to give up mutual claims. Gazprom also agreed to pay the $2.9 billion to Naftogaz under the ruling of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.
On December 27, it became known that the Russian company paid Kyiv the entire outstanding amount. Kozak called this compensation “a drop in the ocean” compared to the claims and potential risks for Russia. According to him, it is impossible to say who has benefited from the dispute.
(C)UAWIRE 2019
To obey an International Court Ruling is a very UN-RUSSIAN decision! Indeed!
This is why the only language the ruSSo-fascists understand is an ultimatum. Give them a choice between “bad and worse”. There is absolutely no reason to even speak with them unless you’re prepared to speak, as Lavrov calls it, the language of ultimatums.
For Russia to comply with unbiased legal arbitration must be painful indeed.