Thursday, 8 January 2009
Russian energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine's national energy company Naftogaz resumed talks early on Thursday to resolve the current crisis around gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, Gazprom's spokesman said.
"Alexei Miller and Oleh Dubyna held talks overnight on ways to deal with the current crisis," Sergei Kupriyanov said without adding any details.
Talks between Russia and Ukraine ended on New Year's Eve with no agreement on how to settle Kiev's gas debts or on a contract for 2009 deliveries.
Gazprom halted on Wednesday gas supplies to Ukraine for transit to Europe. A final check established that Ukraine was not carrying any gas to Europe despite Russia's move to continue gas supplies to Ukraine through the Sudzha station.
Kiev closed on Wednesday the fourth, final gas pipeline pumping Russian gas to Europe. The latest closure added Austria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia to the growing list of countries receiving no Russian gas.
The three other pipelines were closed on Tuesday, ending deliveries via Ukraine to Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, and Bosnia. Supplies to Italy, Poland, France and Slovenia are seriously disrupted.
Gazprom earlier accused Ukraine of stealing more than 86 million cubic meters of gas since the start of the year.
Gazprom and Naftogaz officials, as well as the two countries' government and EU officials are scheduled to meet later on Thursday in Brussels to consider the resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine.
