- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Russia Ready to Work with IMF, EU on Ukraine Gas Debt

© Alexei NikolskiyRussian finance minister Anton Siluanov
Russian finance minister Anton Siluanov - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Russia is concerned about the growth of Ukraine's gas debt, but intends to help support the country financially together with the IMF and EU, the Russian finance minister said Friday after a meeting with his American counterpart.

WASHINGTON, April 11 (RIA Novosti/Prime) – Russia is concerned about the growth of Ukraine's gas debt, but intends to help support the country financially together with the IMF and EU, the Russian finance minister said Friday after a meeting with his American counterpart.

“I expressed concern about Ukraine’s rising debt for Russian gas supplies, particularly in the context of preparations for winter 2014-2015,” Anton Siluanov said, explaining that Ukraine's gas arrears to Gazprom stand at $2.2 billion as of April 8.

“Russia is ready to participate in supporting Ukraine together with the IMF and the European Union,” he said, stressing the need for normalization of the political situation in Ukraine through constitutional reform and establishing a legitimate leadership in the country.

The minister’s statement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent letters to Eastern and Western European leaders on Thursday in connection with Ukraine's gas debt. In particular, the Russian leader wrote that via gas discounts over the past four years Moscow has effectively provided a $35.4 billion subsidy to Ukraine.

In the letter, Putin offered to hold high-level talks on measures to stabilize Ukraine’s crisis-hit economy, including ensuring the supply and transit of Russian gas in accordance with existing contractual obligations.

In reference to the $35.4 billion subsidy recently extended to Ukraine for gas, Siluanov said that “Russia and Ukraine historically have close economic ties.”

The finance minister also assessed the current events in Ukraine, stressing the legitimacy of Crimea’s reunification with Russia as the will of the overwhelming majority of the peninsula’s population.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала