Ukraine, Russia to Continue Negotiations for Interim Gas Deal

Ukraine and Russia said they are willing to continue the negotiations to find an interim gas deal. The two countries said they will continue working to find a solution.

‘Arseniy Yatsenyuk confirmed the readiness to continue together with the European Commission negotiations with the Russian side on supply of natural gas from Russia. The Ukrainian side is ready to a mutually acceptable solution on the basis of market pricing for gas and its transit, said the Prime Minister,’ the Ukrainian government wrote on Monday evening. 

Similarly, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev asked Energy Minister Alexander Novak to proceed with other rounds of negotiations.

“We certainly need to continue searching for compromises based on the understanding that debts have to be repaid but terms for Ukraine in this situation should be quite acceptable and this is what your meeting with the participation of the European Commission is now aimed at,” Medvedev said as reported by ITAR-TASS. 

Recently, the Ukrainian PM said that temporary price and terms can also be determined by the Stockholm arbitration court, adding that the tribunal should take a decision within a month.

On Monday, European Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said that he expects a deal within a month.