Russia has agreed to look again at Kiev's arguments regarding the 2009 gas delivery contract signed between the two nations, and will return to talks on the issue soon, Ukraine's Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said on Thursday.
"Russia's leaders have agreed to seriously look again at the Ukrainian side's arguments concerning the delivery of Russian gas, and return to talks in the near future on reviewing the contract which has presented Ukraine with such unequal conditions," Azarov said.
Russia is sticking to the current gas agreements with Ukraine but never rules out discussing them, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.
"Russia was, is and will be ready to lend its ear to views of our partners for hearing their arguments out," Peskov told reporters. "At the same time, [Russia] is always ready to give any explanations. First of all, we are based on the current legal gas agreements under which natural gas is being delivered," he added.
Ukraine has sought a revision of the deal since 2010, but all previous negotiations between the two states have been deadlocked. Russia has tied the price for gas to the international spot price for oil, which are unstable due to the instability in the Middle East.
According to Ukraine's Naftogaz energy firm, the country pays $417-418 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2012. Azarov has said a fair gas price for Ukraine amounted to $200 per 1,000 cu m, while Gazprom has said that the company sees no reasons for a revision.
