Speaking at the 10th Riga conference in Latvia, Ukrainian Prime Minister, Arseniy Yetsenyuk said there was a need to create a common European energy policy. 

He said Ukraine would be an integral part of such a policy and that the European Union has lost billions as a result of not having one.

He said Gazprom and Russia play games with Europe, by the use of different and inconsistent prices and formulas for each country. He added that as a result, there is a need for free access to liquid natural gas (LNG), in order to bring more competition to the market.

Yatsenyuk suggested that the proposed Nord Stream extension between Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea, does nothing for energy independence and was an anti-European, anti-Ukrainian project.

The proposed extension of Nord Stream is part of Russia’s ambition to circumvent Ukraine in exporting gas to Europe, and would result in billions of dollars in lost transit fees to the country every year. Nearly half of all gas exported by Russia to the European Union currently comes through Ukraine.