WSJ: Ukraine, Russia Reach Deal on Natural-Gas Dispute

Ukraine and Russia resolved their natural-gas feud on Thursday in a hard-fought deal that averts the threat of gas shortages in Europe this winter.

The deal was sealed after months of intense negotiations brokered by the European Union, which relies on Russia for more than a third of its gas imports, half of which is piped through Ukraine. Unless Ukraine paid for its gas supplies upfront, Russia had said it wouldn’t reopen taps it shut off in June, a move that threatened to leave many homes in Ukraine and parts of Europe without enough heat this winter.

Officials said they hoped the breakthrough would herald a broader thaw in relations between Moscow and Kiev.

“These were tough but very professional negotiations,” said the EU’s energy chief, Günther Oettinger, who mediated the talks. “It is also a contribution to the de-escalation between Russia and Ukraine.”
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