Putin Gives Ukraine a Month, Calls on Europe to Support Kiev

Ukraine negotiation ups and downs continue, with Russia giving Kiev a month to pay its debt and the European Union agreeing on the Kremlin’s proposal for consultations.

“The European Union agrees on your proposal for consultations with the Russian Federation and Ukraine with regard to security of gas supply and transit. We believe that this approach allows for the most useful process with the Russian Federation and other third parties, as these matters concern Member States' matters as well as the operation of the European Union's single market and touch upon a shared competence of the European Union,” European Commission’s José Manuel Barroso said in a note released on Thursday. 

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow is ready to wait for a month, calling on Europe to provide aid to Ukraine to ensure uninterrupted gas deliveries. Putin also said that if there were not payments, Russia would move to prepayment terms, which could lead to disruptions in Russian shipments to Europe.

“In your letter, you refer to the outstanding gas debt of Naftogaz Ukrajiny as a contractual cause for Gazprom to shift to a pre-payment regime, which could - in the absence of payment - eventually lead Gazprom to partially or completely cease the supply of gas into Ukraine. Such a development is cause of a serious concern as it carries the danger of an interruption of service into the European Union and other partner countries and affecting the storage of gas in Ukraine for supplies in the coming winter. As far as the gas supplies to Europe are concerned, I would like to recall that supply contracts are between European companies and Gazprom,” Barroso answered in his letter.