UPDATE: Naftogaz to demand price difference of Europe gas from Gazprom

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MOSCOW/KIEV, Mar 5 (PRIME) -- The gas Ukraine had to buy from Europe because of Gazprom’s decision to terminate contracts is 34% more expensive than the gas that the company could have bought from Russia and Naftogaz will claim the difference from Gazprom, CFO Yury Vitrenko said on Monday.

“The latest data say the average gas price from European suppliers exceeds Gazprom’s price by 33.9% this March,” Vitrenko said on his Facebook page. “All this overpayment will be charged from Gazprom.”

On March 1, the Stockholm arbitration court ordered Gazprom to pay $2.56 billion to Naftogaz Ukrainy under a transit agreement. Gazprom said it returned Naftogaz’s payment for March supplies, adding it would not start the shipments because a supplementary agreement to the contract was not coordinated.

On March 3, Gazprom said it has started procedures with the Stockholm arbitration court to terminate the contracts, and launched a new arbitration case.

President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that comments on the spat, which is to be settled at court, are excessive.

“The situation is to be regulated by law. Lawyers of our company, Gazprom I mean, are dealing with it this is why any comments look excessive,” he said and added that the Russian company has a consistent position.

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