Russian Energy Minister: No more Russian-Ukrainian-EU format gas talks planned until the end of the year
There will be no trilateral gas talks in the Ukraine- Russia- EU format for the supply and transit of Russian gas until the end of the year.
This was announced on Saturday by the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Alexander Novak, as Interfax reports.
The resumption of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine, which stopped in the fall of 2015, now depends only on Naftogaz’s prepayment.
"If the money is paid, the supply will resume. We have no dispute over the price, they have no debt. No signing of agreements like 'winter pack' with Ukraine is required, Gazprom only requires prepayment from Naftogaz - and that will be enough for the continuation of the supply. Therefore, the ball is in Naftogaz's court," Novak said.
Naftogaz has refused to prepay without an additional agreement that will lift the take-or-pay rule for the purchased period and without setting fixed gas delivery points to Ukraine in order to prevent gas being delivered to the uncontrolled territories of Luhansk and Donetsk.
On December 9th in Brussels, trilateral talks on the resumption of Russian gas supply to Ukraine were held, but no results were brought.