Report: Gazprom: Russia may impose sanctions on Naftogaz Ukrainy

MOSCOW, Jul 6 (PRIME) – Russia may introduce sanctions against Ukrainian energy holding company Naftogaz Ukrainy because of its unconstructive actions concerning Russian gas transit, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller told channel Rossiya 24 Thursday.

According to Miller, Naftogaz Ukrainy refuses to accept Russian gas for transit at the Sokhranovka point but demands payment for the transit.

"Naftogaz has already sent a multibillion claim against Russia to U.S. courts. If Naftogaz continues these unconstructive actions, we cannot rule out that this would lead to sanctions by the Russian Federation. Then any relations between Russian companies and Naftogaz will be absolutely impossible," Miller said.

Miller said that litigations against the Ukrainian company would be of no use.

"Can we expect a fair and unbiased consideration of the dispute in Switzerland that joined sanctions against Russia? Could legislation of Switzerland that pursues joining the NATO, be neutral? These are rhetorical questions. In these conditions, Gazprom thinks that arbitration procedures (against Naftogaz) are illegitimate and participation in the process is useless," he said.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the problem with gas transit was in the competence of Gazprom.

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