Pres spox says Russia–Ukraine continue gas negotiations

MOSCOW, Dec 30 (PRIME) -- The Russia–Ukraine gas negotiations continue and are difficult, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

“I have nothing to say so far. The negotiations continue. The work is being done. It is not easy. We will not overleap and make any forecasts,” Peskov said.

The last round of the negotiations between the two states lasted from December 26 until the first hours in the morning of Monday. The representatives of Russia and Ukraine started to sign gas transit documents, Ukraine’s Justice Minister Denis Malyuska said in a Facebook post.

The December 20 gas cooperation protocol between Russia and Ukraine envisages signing of an interoperator transit agreement between Gazprom and Operator of the Gas Pipeline System of Ukraine and an agreement of capacity reserve for 65 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2020 and 40 bcm per year in 2021–2024 between Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz Ukrainy.

The protocol also envisages settlement of legal disputes between Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrainy. Gazprom shall pay U.S. $2.9 billion under a ruling by the Stockholm Arbitration court, and Ukraine shall withdraw $7.4 billion antimonopoly claims against Gazprom.

The Russian company made the payment on December 27, and Naftogaz Ukrainy confirmed the receipt. On December 28, the Ukrainian government released a statement, saying that peaceful settlement of the case against Gazprom had been approved.

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