Normandy Four agrees to speed up Russia–Ukraine gas deal

MOSCOW, Jul 24 (PRIME) -- The leaders of the Normandy Four, or Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, have agreed to speed up signing an agreement between Moscow and Kiev on their gas dispute, according to a statement published on Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko’s Web site late on Thursday.

“The dialog partners have agreed to speed up signing the Ukraine–E.U.–Russia on Russian gas supplies to Ukraine,” the statement read.

On July 1, Ukrainian energy holding Naftogaz Ukrainy stopped gas purchases from Russian gas giant Gazprom and now relies only on imports from Slovakia. Ukraine’s Energy and Coal Industry Minister Vladimir Demchishin said then that Kiev suspended the gas imports until the two countries sign a price agreement.

Earlier, Gazprom sent an offer to Kiev to sign amendments to a contract for July–September and kept the price in line with the April–June tariff of U.S. $247.17 per 1,000 cubic meters. Ukraine was dissatisfied and demanded that a new amendment to the contract be signed for the entire heating season, not on a quarterly basis.

Previously, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that the offered price corresponds with gas prices for neighboring countries, including Poland.

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