Report: PM says Ukraine may buy Russian gas with World Bank funds

MOSCOW, Jun 6 (PRIME) -- Ukraine’s Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman did not rule out the possibility of Kiev purchasing natural gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom with funds provided by the World Bank, he said in an interview with Reuters published on June 3.

Ukraine could soon expect to receive a U.S. $500 million loan from the World Bank to buy gas in exchange for certain conditions, including improving governance at state energy giant Naftogaz, Groisman said, Reuters reported.

“Ukraine is expected to bypass Russia to purchase the gas, but Groisman did not completely rule out buying supplies from Russia's Gazprom, saying his government would take a ‘political decision’ if Gazprom made the right offer,” Reuters reported.

Earlier, Ukraine financed purchase of about 2 billion cubic meters of Russian gas with a $500 million aid from the E.U. in the framework of the so-called winter gas package in October–November 2015. Kiev suspended purchases of Russian gas on November 25, 2015.

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