Metropolitan Kirill is new Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

The delegates to the Church Council meeting under way in Moscow have elected Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad the 16th patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Metropolitan Kirill garnered 508 (72%) out of the 702 votes during the election on Tuesday. To be elected patriarch, a candidate had to be supported by more than half of the delegates.
Another 169 votes (24%) went to Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk.
Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk, who was also nominated for patriarch by the Bishops’ Council several days ago, had withdrawn from the elections in favor of Metropolitan Kirill about two hours before the voting.

A extensive analysis was published in Cadran Politic Review.

Patriarhul Kiril – între modernitatea europeană şi naţionalismul conservator rus

President Basescu passes Prime Minister Putin’s challenge to the EU’s arms

President Basescu: “Romania will opt for South Stream, if Nabucco project fail”

The Romanian president, Traian Băsescu made some clarifications of telephone calls with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in a recent live appearances on national television.

President Basescu reiterated that does not want to disclose those discussions. He noted that Romania is likely to be involved in South Stream project if Nabucco project will fail.

Even though seemingly occurrent, declaration Romanian head of state takes place against the background work Nabucco Summit held in Budapest these days. “Romania is a European country and it assume the obligations in the EU and promises made” said president Traian Basescu. But suggests that Romania has a backup option: South Stream. Moreover, President Basescu reminiscent transit security problem. Recognizing indirect that he admitted guilt Ukraine, in  discussion with Prime Minister Putin. (The information was made public by the press department of the Russian Government. From the presidency of Romania there was only a confirmation that was discussed with Prime Minister Putin. Without further revelations. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demanded explanations, but the problem seems to have been resolved through diplomatic informally).

Ukraina – Russia gas agreement has been released to the press

A purported text of the gas agreement, signed on January 19 by Gazprom and Naftogas Ukrainy, has been released to the Vedomosti, but Gazprom and Naftogaz officials refuse to answer questions about the terms of the new contract.

Mention, The National Security and Defense Council postponed consideration of gas agreements with Russia, scheduled for today, Ukrainian News has learned from a well-informed source in the NSDC Administration.

Update:

Ukraine’s Naftogaz CEO undergoes heart surgery

The head of Ukraine state-run gas company Naftogaz, Oleh Dubyna, who played a central role in ending the recent gas dispute between Kiev and Moscow, has undergone heart surgery, the county’s premier said.

“The Naftogaz CEO is currently in intensive care, he has undergone heart surgery,” Yulia Tymoshenko said on Ukrainian television.

Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov: “Ukraine is not prepared for constructive cooperation”

If the gas crisis over in economic plan, the war of the statement isn’t finished.

The Russian Foreign Ministry, S. Lavrov expressed on yesterday evening his disappointment over its “Ukrainian colleagues’” reaction to recently-signed contracts on gas supplies and transit.

Conform RIA Novosti, “The reaction of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, in connection with the situation in Russian-Ukrainian relations in the gas sphere, is not very healthy…The statement by the ministry demonstrates that, alas, it is not prepared for constructive cooperation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Remember that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accused Russia on Tuesday of carrying out a “gas information war.” It also said Russia had planned to destabilize the internal situation in Ukraine and disrupt its gas transportation system.

During the talks between Prime Ministers Vladimir Putin and Yulia Tymoshenko, the sides agreed to resume the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe via Ukraine, approved the European pricing formula for gas deliveries to Ukraine, and decided to abandon gas trade intermediaries. The gas price for Ukraine will be $360 in the first quarter of 2009, or 80% of the earlier claimed European price for Ukraine of $450. Later the price for Ukraine will change every three months depending on the average European price, which is likely to fall because it depends on oil prices six months previous.

The duel’s statements of the two foreign ministers is not haphazard. Today and tomorrow, Ukraine and Russia will hold consultations on demarcating maritime boundaries between the two countries in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Russia and Ukraine have been in dispute over the maritime boundary since the early 1990s. Ukraine insists that a border be drawn in the Kerch Strait, which links the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, that matches the administrative border that existed between Russia and Ukraine in the former Soviet Union.

Gas crisis – the last act ?

Today gas transit agreement and contract on gas deliveries to Ukraine for 2009 was signed  between Gazprom and Naftogaz. Alexei Miller, the CEO of Russian gas producer and exporter Gazprom, and Oleg Dubina, the CEO of the Ukrainian oil and gas monopoly Naftogaz Ukrainy, put their signatures under the documents in the presence of Prime Ministers Vladimir Putin of Russia and Yulia Timoshenko of Ukraine. And the supply of gas to Europe will be resumed.

As Russia’s Prime Minister explained after the signing ceremony, there are two contracts: “a contract to supply gas to Ukraine and a contract for transit that are long-term for ten years”. Putin also stressed that the two documents are not connected with each other.

The problem is far from being solved if things look long term. Russia won the media war. Ukraine won “technical gas”. Both sides made compromises, and lost in Chapter Credibility.