MOSCOW, September 4 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Energy Ministry, Russian energy giant Gazprom and the European Commission will carry out a detailed analysis of the Ukrainian gas sector and discuss it at the forthcoming three-party meeting, the ministry said Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the Energy Ministry, Gazprom and the European Commission representatives hold a technical meeting on gas issues, in continuation to the August 29 talks between the Russian energy minister and EU energy chief Gunther Oettinger.
“During the talks, the sides discussed how the situation in Ukriane’s gas sector will develop during the forthcoming winter season, especially during periods when the demand [for gas] peaks. The sides agreed to thoroughly analyze the information they had received and will discuss it at the three-party Russia-Ukraine-EU gas talks, the date and location of which are yet to be set,” the Russian ministry said in a statement.
Three-party consultations between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union on gas issues, have been ongoing since April, but have yet to yield any significant results.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that Moscow will resume gas cooperation with Ukraine only when Kiev repays its "astronomical" debt to Russia in full and agrees to the average annual price of $385 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas.
The Russian prime minister added that if Ukraine rejects the proposed $100 discount, the resulting price of $485 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas will suit the Russian side perfectly.
The same day, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said that Kiev offered Moscow two variants on gas pricing that would be set at $300 per 1,000 cubic meters during the low season and $380 during the winter season, or tie the gas prices to the spot market in Europe.
Yatsenyuk added that Ukraine does not need a discount on gas, but would not pay Russia $500 per 1,000 cubic meters.
On June 16, after several unsuccessful rounds of talks, Russian gas company Gazprom was forced to implement a prepayment scheme for gas supplies to Ukraine over its accumulated debt. As of today, Kiev’s gas debt to Russia is estimated to be more than $5.3 billion.
