Gas consortium - a topic for the presidential candidates

Julia Tymoshenko has declared that her idea for the development of the Ukrainian gas transit system is radically different from that of Mr. Yanukovich and Mr. Tigipko. Both Yanukovich and Tigipko said that they support the idea of a gas consortium to manage Ukrainian gas transit system. While Yanukovich was less clear about the membership in the consortium Tigipko was more clear: 50% in Ukrainian ownership, 25% in Russian and 25% in European. That kind of consortium according to Tigipko would guarantee that the consortium is stable and guarantees Ukrainian interest.

In the recent Focus on Ukraine note from German Marshall Fund its Senior Fellow Jorg Himmelreich seems to support Mr Tigipko (or vice versa):

But more than this: the EU should think about buying into or leasing stakes in Naftogaz by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) or other international financial institutions. Such an EU investment touches Ukrainian sensibilities about its sovereignty, because gas pipelines and storage capacities are perceived as assets of Ukraine’s sovereignty. But the EU stakeholdership should also be seen as strengthening Ukraine’s negotiating position with Gazprom. The European Union as a stakeholder could then enforce the transparency of Naftogaz and Ukraine’s energy sector—and that would unblock Ukraine’s political and economic transformation.

 Recipy from GMF is enticing. Indeed the time has shown that Ukraine is unable by itself to untangle the gas knot named Naftogaz. European and Russian participation in the gas consortium would seem to guarantee the bright future of the enterprise. However, Russia is interested in making its gas more competitive and EU also wouldn't mind cheaper gas. These interests make Russia and EU perfect collaborators in taming Ukrainian side.