Official: Moscow ready for gas winter package dialogue with Kiev

MOSCOW, Nov 3 (PRIME) -- Moscow and Kiev are not in negotiations on gas supplies for the 2016–2017 winter season but Russia is ready for dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told PRIME in an interview published on Thursday.

“Ukraine stopped to buy Russian natural gas in November 2015. The term of the so-called winter package for 2015–2016 has ended this spring. There are no negotiations to sign it again for a new period so far,” Karasin said. “Moscow is ready for a constructive and substantive dialogue with the Ukrainian partners with a goal of achieving related agreements.”

Russia is worried with the insufficient filling of Ukraine’s underground gas storages and is ready to resume supplies to Kiev anytime at U.S. $180 per 1,000 cubic meters on a prepaid basis, President Vladimir Putin said in late October.

Karasin said that there are all needed prerequisites to start the negotiations, such as a gas supply contract that is valid until 2019 and “also our pursuit of not only fulfilling our obligations but seeking, if needed, compromise solutions to existing problems.”

The official said that Russia expects to see constructive approach and negotiability of Ukraine.

Karasin separately said that the deadline of the Minsk peace agreements is already unclear. “Donetsk and Luhansk are expressing their readiness to proceed as fast as possible in the direction of a real solution. But of course, it must be accompanied by real steps by the Ukrainian side, which has not demonstrated the same approach so far.”

He said that Russia hopes that a proposal by Germany and France to elaborate the roadmap scheduling peaceful steps will be implemented and will bring about results.

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