Hans-Gert Poettering

President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering going near the presidium of the parliament after his speech at the extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Monday, April 6, 2009. Poettering said during his speech that the European Union and Ukraine have to elaborate joint strategy of energy security on the principles of Energy Charter. He also noted that the gas crisis, which appeared because of conflict between Ukraine and Russia, "led to serious anxiety in the EU". According to the words of Poettering, now EU revises its energy policy, works on creation of common energy market and discuss "diversity of energy sources". He believes that "it connects with political stability and prosperity of Ukraine". The President of European Parliament noted that in order to prevent the similar conflicts between Ukraine and Russia in future, Ukraine and the EU "should find long-term decisions concerning gas deliveries to EU markets". Photo by Oleksandr Sinitza/UNIAN