French court green lights Ukrainian gas firm's compensation claim against Russia
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Ukrainian firm Naftogaz says it has been given the green light to pursue $5bn euro in compensation from the Russian state through the French courts after a Parisian civil court recognized the decision of an arbitration court dating from 2023.
The claim, filed with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, relates to a claim against the Russian Federation for compensation following the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, rather than the current underdeclared war the Kremlin is waging on its neighbour.
'This order by the French court recognizing and granting leave to enforce the final award enables Naftogaz to move forward with enforcement proceedings on French territory,' said Roman Chumak, CEO of the Naftogaz Group.
'Our team is pursuing every available legal avenue to enforce the award and ensure Russia is held accountable for its unlawful actions," Roman Chumak added.
Naftogaz, which accuses Moscow of seizing pipeline and offshore infrastructure in what Kyiv and the EU regards as occupied territory, said in a statement that the French legal action was part of an effort 'to enforce the award in countries where Russia holds assets'.
The news from Paris comes a day after a court in Saint Petersburg increased an award against Naftogaz to $1.3bn in a case launched by Russia's Gazprom over the energy firm's limiting of gas transit across Ukrainian territory, according to media reports citing Russian news agency Interfax.
Gas transit into the EU via Ukraine ended this year when existing transit agreements expired, although imports continue via the Turkstream pipeline through the Baltics and on into Hungary and Austria.
The European Commission is slated to present on 6 May an action plan to wean European off all Russian fossil fuel imports, but Budapest has already ruled out supporting any sanctions on gas, which would require the unanimous agreement of all 27 EU members.
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