Washington is making Ukraine stall on a gas settlement agreement with Russia to try and draw out the conflict, journalist and broadcaster Neil Clark told RT. Moscow offered Ukraine a 25 percent discount on gas, but Kiev insists this is not enough.
RT:We heard just a few moments ago from
President Putin, sending out a warning to Kiev. Do you think they
are likely to listen?
Neil Clark: I’m not sure they will do actually. I think he’s
absolutely right to send this warning out, but of course this is
already being portrayed in the West as Russia trying to make
threats and it’s quite remarkable, isn’t it? Ukraine has been
offered a very generous discount on this and yet they still want
more and it really is quite incredible the nerve and the Chutzpah
of the Ukrainian government on this.
I think the situation is, if Russia offered a 20 percent
discount, then Ukraine would want 25, if Russia offered 25,
Ukraine would want 30. I don’t think any amount of discount will
satisfy Ukraine. They’re spoiling for a fight here and they want
to prolong this as long as possible and I think that we’ve got
the United States behind this. I think the United States is using
the Ukrainian government to try and provoke a conflict with
Russia and prevent a settlement of this issue.
RT:Now despite the deadlock, the deadline
for the first payment yet again has been extended. How long do
you think this can go on for?
NC: Well I think Russia has got to bring this to closure
now, but of course there’s a trap here. If I behave in this way
to my gas supplier, then my gas supply would have been cut off a
long time ago. If I hadn’t paid the bill for several months now,
and I was owing huge amounts, then British Gas or whoever would
cut off my gas. But if Russia was to do this, if it were to cut
off the gas to Ukraine, then of course this would be portrayed in
the West as Russia using gas as a political weapon, so Russia has
got to behave very carefully here.
This has gone on far too long and what is happening, I’m afraid,
is the United States is getting the Ukrainian government to
reject any compromise from Moscow and that’s what’s drawn this
out so much.
RT:Ukraine is getting an offer of almost 20
percent. Why do you think it’s not enough for them?
NC: I think it would be enough for any normal country
and of course it’s a very generous discount for what is a very
anti-Russian government. It seems the Ukraine government believes
they can provoke the Russian government as much as they can.
They’re killing civilians in the east, but they still expect very
generous discounts from Russia. As I said earlier that even if
Russia went further and said 25 or 30 percent, I think that would
still be rejected by the Ukrainian government because I don’t
think they want settlement. They want to drag it out as long as
long as possible to create this ongoing crisis. I think this will
only end if there is some sanity coming in from the Western
Powers, but I’m afraid the US doesn’t actually want a settlement
on this issue.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.