KIEV, Dec. 2 – Poland and Ukraine agreed on Friday to speed up construction of a natural gas pipeline link between the two countries weeks after the European Commission allowed Gazprom to channel more Russian gas to the Czech Republic via Germany.

The EC decision on October 28 allows Gazprom to use OPAL pipeline to bypass Ukraine that may potentially cost Kiev $425 million annually.

President Petro Poroshenko and Polish President Andrzej Duda criticized the decision, which may undermine unity within the European energy community.