Natural Resources committee  I think Canada can play a huge role in the moderation of the process of diversification of the energy supply into Ukraine and into Europe. You can also play a huge role in the question of technology transfer, as I said. The next step, after you have the appropriate infrastructure ready, I think Canada will play a significant role as a supplier of hydrocarbons on the European market.

Natural Resources committee  Yes. Since...[Technical difficulty—Editor].

Natural Resources committee  Yes. Sorry, I would not have liked to interrupt Mr. Aslund, but if you don't mind, I will quickly answer. From an electricity perspective, the situation in Ukraine is absolutely different from the gas perspective. We don't have a problem with the electricity generation, and we have in our electricity energy basket....

Natural Resources committee  In this case I think Ukraine should perform, I would say, homework. We need to integrate our market into the European market. We need to implement European energy legislation on our territory, and this is our homework. This is very important for us because the European market is quite huge.

Natural Resources committee  From my perspective, the destabilization of the situation in any region of Ukraine, what Russia is trying to do for the current moment, will have on the next step a huge impact on the stability in Europe especially in energy stability. But from my perspective, the situation in the south of Ukraine is much more stable than in the east and the Government of Ukraine will keep this situation.

Natural Resources committee  As I said, I am ready to introduce you and to introduce Ukrainian non-government organizations in the biomass sector so you'll see them. For the current moment, the Ukrainian non-government organizations work closely with the government, the central government, and, what is especially important, with the local regional governments, because the best way is to go to the regions and to start to work with the particular projects.

Natural Resources committee  At the current moment I think that the Ukrainian government doesn't have any doubt about how important energy efficiency is, so we don't even need to persuade them, it's true. Further, on the level of consumers, it has also become absolutely clear because a few weeks ago the government made a decision to change the system of tariffs on the gas for consumers.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, I totally agree. Actually, you've said what I would like to say.

Natural Resources committee  If you will take my coordinates, with pleasure I will share with you the information of non-government organizations in Ukraine which are working and are charged with the biomass energy sectors. I am ready to introduce you as widely as is possible. From our perspective, the current potential of biomass in Ukraine is at least equivalent to two to three billion cubic metres per year, so it's a huge potential for us.

Natural Resources committee  Excuse me. I didn't get the question.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, but this potential is not so high, because the current hydro power generation is quite developed in Ukraine, and in the sector where we can work, this is small-scale hydro generation.

Natural Resources committee  From my perspective, if the world community will try to feed the European gas market as much as possible, it will help Ukraine as well. In Ukraine we don't need some specific prices for the gas; we just need prices that are not politically but economically motivated. I will give you some examples.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, absolutely. I strongly believe it.

Natural Resources committee  It's actually what I mentioned in my short presentation. I think that today the very wide field for small companies that have expertise in energy efficiency is open in Ukraine. I personally can even help and can provide some additional information on how they can communicate directly with the local governments in the regions of Ukraine that are currently seeking this help and seeking these opportunities.

Natural Resources committee  I would like to express my feeling exactly from my perspective. Today the Ukrainian government is totally open to cooperate and to support this cooperation. If you look at internal production of natural gas in Ukraine, 90% is concentrated in state-owned companies. I strongly believe that for the moment it would be much easier to organize this cooperation and to intensify it.