By Victoria Panfilova, a Nezavisimaya Gazeta observer, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Kiev yesterday and confirmed his role as a mediator in settling the Ukrainian conflict. The Kazakhstani leader recognizes the territorial integrity of Ukraine and agreed to resume military and technical cooperation. Experts say that he is trying to help the Ukrainian economy and strengthen Kazakhstan.
Nazarbayev is said to be engaging in the process to end the war in Ukraine, which has already provoked sanctions, weakening Russia and reducing the potential of the EaEU. Nazarbayev will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and discuss the results of his visit to Kiev.
Nazarbayev started playing his role as a mediator before the visit to Kiev. The Minsk format is his idea. He proposed mediation in negotiations between the sides of the conflict.
Nazarbayev called himself an honest manager who does not take sides and treats Russia and Ukraine equally. The main goal, in his words, is to stop the war and strengthen the independence of Ukraine. He recognized its territorial integrity and called for peace talks in Donbass, reminding that restoration of Ukraine will need big finances.
Ukraine needs to solve its energy problems. The electricity deficit has already reached 3 million KW. The government considers the situation exceptionally critical. Nursultan Nazarbayev offered coal from Ekibastuz in exchange for military products.
“Ukraine was mining 55 million tons of energy coal annually, 5.6 million tons were exported. Consequently, the demand for energy coal in Ukraine is about 50 million tons a year. Many mines in the Donetsk Oblast and practically all the mines in the Luhansk Oblast where coal was extracted are in a risk zone due to combat. Moreover, the new authorities of Donetsk and Luhansk are offering Kiev to buy their coal. Kiev rejects such proposals. Coal imports started from South Africa were stopped for a set of reasons, the high price being one of them. There are negotiations with Australia. But that coal promises to be “golden” too. As an option, Polish coal may be used. But there is another problem. Polish coal has high “calorific power,” it is specific and reduces the lifespan of equipment of thermal power plants if it is not made specifically for such coal. Coal from the Ekibastuz deposits remain, shipping them is disadvantageous because of the cheapening ruble. What can you get from Ukraine if its treasury is dwindling? Only products of the military industry complex, said Yuri Solozobov, the director of international programs at the Institute of Russian National Strategy, in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.
The 5th Omsk thermal power plant runs on coal from Ekibastuz. Experts say that selling coal to Russia using old contracts signed when the dollar was cheaper is unprofitable. “The ruble is not converted according to the rate at which the contract was signed. In fact, Kazakhstani enterprises are suffering losses, so Kazakhstan is trying to end old contracts and find better conditions to sell coal. If the plans succeed, we will be the ones having problems, the technological equipment of many of our power plants that receive Kazakhstani coal in Russia was designed for Kazakhstani coal,” explained Professor Alexey Poltavsky of the World Economy and World Politics Faculty of the Higher School of Economics.
The fears are justified, Nursultan Nazarbayev’s offer to sell coal for military cooperation has satisfied Kiev. Yuri Solozobov believes that bilateral Ukrainian-Kazakhstani cooperation today would work well in reconstruction and modernization of aircraft, armored vehicles, shipbuilding, development and production of air defenses.
Kazakhstan and Ukraine have experience in military collaboration. Two years ago, Kiev and Astana signed an agreement to produce the BTR-4 armored vehicle in Ukraine together. The document stipulates production of 100 vehicles. Recent events have undermined the plans. The sides have experience in shipbuilding cooperation.
The Kazakhstani leader expressed interest in exporting electrical equipment and communication systems to Ukraine, cooperation in the space industry. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that they will unite the potential of Ukrainian enterprises with the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan will help the economy of Ukraine and strengthen its militaryBy Victoria Panfilova, a Nezavisimaya Gazeta observer, exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaKazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Kiev yesterday and confirmed his role as a mediator in settling the Ukrainian conflict. The Kazakhstani leader recognizes the territorial integrity of Ukraine and agreed to resume military and technical cooperation. Experts say that he is trying to help the Ukrainian economy and strengthen Kazakhstan.Nazarbayev is said to be engaging in the process to end the war in Ukraine, which has already provoked sanctions, weakening Russia and reducing the potential of the EaEU. Nazarbayev will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday and discuss the results of his visit to Kiev.Nazarbayev started playing his role as a mediator before the visit to Kiev. The Minsk format is his idea. He proposed mediation in negotiations between the sides of the conflict.Nazarbayev called himself an honest manager who does not take sides and treats Russia and Ukraine equally. The main goal, in his words, is to stop the war and strengthen the independence of Ukraine. He recognized its territorial integrity and called for peace talks in Donbass, reminding that restoration of Ukraine will need big finances.Ukraine needs to solve its energy problems. The electricity deficit has already reached 3 million KW. The government considers the situation exceptionally critical. Nursultan Nazarbayev offered coal from Ekibastuz in exchange for military products. “Ukraine was mining 55 million tons of energy coal annually, 5.6 million tons were exported. Consequently, the demand for energy coal in Ukraine is about 50 million tons a year. Many mines in the Donetsk Oblast and practically all the mines in the Luhansk Oblast where coal was extracted are in a risk zone due to combat. Moreover, the new authorities of Donetsk and Luhansk are offering Kiev to buy their coal. Kiev rejects such proposals. Coal imports started from South Africa were stopped for a set of reasons, the high price being one of them. There are negotiations with Australia. But that coal promises to be “golden” too. As an option, Polish coal may be used. But there is another problem. Polish coal has high “calorific power,” it is specific and reduces the lifespan of equipment of thermal power plants if it is not made specifically for such coal. Coal from the Ekibastuz deposits remain, shipping them is disadvantageous because of the cheapening ruble. What can you get from Ukraine if its treasury is dwindling? Only products of the military industry complex, said Yuri Solozobov, the director of international programs at the Institute of Russian National Strategy, in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza.The 5th Omsk thermal power plant runs on coal from Ekibastuz. Experts say that selling coal to Russia using old contracts signed when the dollar was cheaper is unprofitable. “The ruble is not converted according to the rate at which the contract was signed. In fact, Kazakhstani enterprises are suffering losses, so Kazakhstan is trying to end old contracts and find better conditions to sell coal. If the plans succeed, we will be the ones having problems, the technological equipment of many of our power plants that receive Kazakhstani coal in Russia was designed for Kazakhstani coal,” explained Professor Alexey Poltavsky of the World Economy and World Politics Faculty of the Higher School of Economics.The fears are justified, Nursultan Nazarbayev’s offer to sell coal for military cooperation has satisfied Kiev. Yuri Solozobov believes that bilateral Ukrainian-Kazakhstani cooperation today would work well in reconstruction and modernization of aircraft, armored vehicles, shipbuilding, development and production of air defenses.Kazakhstan and Ukraine have experience in military collaboration. Two years ago, Kiev and Astana signed an agreement to produce the BTR-4 armored vehicle in Ukraine together. The document stipulates production of 100 vehicles. Recent events have undermined the plans. The sides have experience in shipbuilding cooperation.The Kazakhstani leader expressed interest in exporting electrical equipment and communication systems to Ukraine, cooperation in the space industry. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that they will unite the potential of Ukrainian enterprises with the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhs
