Bloomberg: Russia, Ukraine Seek Interim Gas Accord at Brussels Talks

Russia and Ukraine seek to strike a temporary agreement today in a natural-gas pricing dispute in order to restore gas flows and avoid disruptions in transit to Europe this winter.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Prodan are meeting in Brussels today at talks brokered by European Union Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger. The 28-nation EU, which depends on Russian gas piped through Ukraine for about 15 percent of its demand, proposed an interim deal last month to resume deliveries from Moscow-based OAO Gazprom to NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy after they were halted in June.

Under the EU proposal, Ukraine would pay $3.1 billion by the end of the year for previously delivered supplies and Russia in return would cut its price by $100 per one thousand cubic meters to $385 through March.
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