Ukraine’s PM Braces for Heating Season

Ukraine took urgent measures to provide people with heating on Friday, with the Central Government instructing regional administration to do their part. Earlier this week, Kiev asked regional governments to pay their debts to Naftogaz.

‘Arseniy Yatsenyuk has been informed by the first deputy chairman of Naftogaz Ukrainy Serhiy Pereloma who reported that, according to the Government’s order, Ukraine has actually started the heating season,’ reads the note released on Friday.

The announcement came after Naftogaz’ Serhiy Pereloma informed Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk that the company started to withdraw gas from storage facilities to ensure a ‘sustainable heating season.’

Also on Friday, Europe reiterated its intention to support Ukraine economically and politically.  

‘The Council today adopted a regulation extending until the end of 2015 unilateral trade preferences applied since April 2014 in favour of Ukraine,’ reads a separate press release.

The measures give Ukrainian exporters a preferential status to access to EU markets. The provisional decision has been extended until the end of 2015.

‘The trade preferences were due to expire on 1 November 2014, but are now extended until 31 December 2015. The Commission had submitted its proposal for an extension of the measures on 22 September.’

The association agreement between the EU and Ukraine is set to enter into force the 1st of January 2016.

The Commission said that the association agreement would help Ukrainian exporters saving around €500mn annually in customs duties.