The crisis with Ukraine "strongly strengthens our negotiating position on 'take or pay' gas contracts with Russia". This was stated by Eni's CEO Paolo Scaroni, commenting on the possible effects of the Ukraine issue on Eni's business during an interview with the Financial Times: "we feel in an excellent position".
Speaking more generally of European energy policy, Scaroni reiterated his doubts about the prospects for South Stream and spoke of the continent's dependence on Russian resources: "Europe - he stated - is too dependent on Russian gas to stop imports in the short term from the country, although I think Italy would be able to manage the situation”.
As regards Eni's activities in Russia, the CEO of the Italian energy giant commented positively on the timing of the sale of Arctic gas assets for almost 3 billion dollars: "The sale of Arctic Russia turned out to be a smart move, we had the right timing. It would have been very difficult to carry out such an operation at the present moment; Russian companies are very careful now with their cash”. At the basis of the decision to leave Russia there would have been the observation of the gradual increase in tensions in Ukraine.
Again with regard to Ukraine, Scaroni affirmed his willingness to travel to Kiev shortly to talk about the nine shale gas blocks in the Lviv basin in Ukraine, in which Eni has acquired a stake. The preparatory activities for the exploration of a block in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea, recalled Eni's CEO, are currently still at a standstill.
