"If the EU becomes more dependent on Russia as a source, Russia will use this as an instrument of foreign policy" to put pressure on Europe, the MP declares.
The recent gas crisis, which saw supplies to Europe stop completely at the turn of the year (EurActiv 07/01/09) and left European capitals scrambling to mount a coherent response (EurActiv 09/01/09), was "intentionally created by Russia […] to discredit Ukraine," he says.
Moscow's leverage in this regard poses a "real, concrete threat for millions of people in Europe," he adds, stressing that Kiev "cannot implement the contractual obligations of Russians" to deliver gas to the Ukrainian transportation system.
"Instead of looking for other routes from Russia, the European Union has to look for alternatives," declares Tarasyuk, who chairs his country's parliamentary committee on European integration. "Do not underestimate Ukraine," he says. "Our transportation system can carry more than it does at present."
Stressing Ukraine's reliability as a transit partner, the former diplomat recalls that Kiev effectively subsidised the EU from its own supplies for six days at the height of the gas crisis. "We should build a new pipeline from Central Asia via the Caspian, the Black Sea and Ukraine to the EU" to complement Nabucco, he argues.
"I would recommend the EU to focus on gas supply routes that are not dependent on Russia," the MP says, citing Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as possible future suppliers.
Addressing recent volatility in the Caucasus, the former minister "completely disagrees" with attempts to put the cases of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on an equal footing to that of the Crimea, which is "part of Ukraine [and] under the full control of the central authorities of Ukraine".
Dismissing the possibility of a Russian attack on Ukraine as "fantasy", Tarasyuk warns Moscow that his country is "one of the strongest states in Europe" in military terms. "It would be madness for anybody, including Russia, to attack Ukraine militarily."
Regarding his country's twin goals of NATO and EU accession, Tarasyuk remains optimistic, despite conceding the transatlantic alliance does not have an "open-door policy". Admitting that last summer's brief war between Georgia and Russia may have affected the NATO membership ambitions of both Kiev and Tbilisi, the MP nevertheless insists that "inevitably, sooner or later, Ukraine will become a member of the alliance".
As for the EU, Tarasyuk expects negotiations this year to finalise a new "association agreement" similar to that guided Slovakia into the Union.
Finally, the former diplomat concedes that Ukrainian politics is going through a difficult period. "They are problems of personalities. But the general course remains as it was defined by the Orange [Revolution]. So I am optimistic," he concluded.
