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Ukraine’s Naztogaz says gas problems with Russia will be settled under gas contract terms

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara said that Ukraine would not pay Gazprom’s invoice
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

KIEV, January 31 (Itar-Tass) – All issues related to the 2009 gas contract between Russia and Ukraine will be settled in accordance with its terms, Ukraine’s Naftogaz said on Thursday after considering a request from Russia’s gas monopolist Gazprom to pay for the Russian gas it had underconsumed in 2012.

Earlier, the Russian side notified Naftigaz that in line with the “take or pay” term of the contract the Ukrainian company owed about seven billion U.S. dollars for the gas it failed to consume in 2012.

Ukraine’s Minister of Energy and the Coal Industry Eduard Stavitsky said his country had fulfilled its obligations under the gas contract. Ukraine has “paid the full cost of the gas it received,” he said.

“As for the invoice, I believe there are no problems here. Lawyers are studying the issue and we shall give a proper legal answer. I am sure we shall reach understanding with our Russian partners,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswire that the Ukrainian government hoped to settle problems linked with the import of Russian gas in the course of negotiations.

At the same time, he said that Ukraine would not pay Gazprom’s invoice.