Updated 8:01 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) – The gas meeting of Russia, the European Union and Ukraine will not take place on Friday, as it was previously announced, the Russian energy ministry’s press service said Wednesday.
“The date of the talks will be determined next week. There will certainly be no meeting this week,” a spokesman said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan said that the trilateral energy security talks in the EU-Russia-Ukraine format are likely to be held on Friday this week, as Ukraine's bilateral meeting with the European Commission has been scheduled on Thursday.
Kiev is not happy with the so-called "Winter Plan" for Russia's natural gas deliveries to Ukraine, endorsed by Russia and the European Commission during the ministerial gas meeting in Berlin last Friday.
According to the plan, Ukraine would have to repay $3.1 billion of its gas debt to Russia and pay in advance for the delivery of five billion cubic meters of gas at the price of $385 per 1,000 cubic meters, with a discount of $100.
Kiev, however, rejects Russia's offer of the discount in the form of an export-duty exemption and wants the contract price to be reduced instead.
Ukraine also wants to agree the debt repayment schedule, as well as terms and schedules of future gas deliveries and insists on amending the current gas contract with Russia in order to formally authorize the reverse deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine from Europe.
