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Russia, Ukraine continue talks on gas in Vienna

The talks began on December 26th

© EPA-EFE/CLEMENS BILAN

MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are continuing talks on the gas transit agreement in Vienna, a spokesperson for Gazprom informed on Saturday.

"The Russian-Ukrainian talks on gas in Vienna, which began on Thursday and carried on well into the night on Friday, are continuing today," he said.

On Thursday, Gazprom announced the start of talks aimed to approve the final conditions of the new agreement between Moscow and Kiev. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak expressed hope earlier that the gas agreements would be finalized this weekend.

Moscow and Kiev announced on December 20 they had agreed a new five-year gas transit contract to succeed the existing one that expired on December 31, 2019. They also said they had managed to settle mutual claims between Gazprom and Naftogaz.

Thus, the sides agreed that by the yearend Gazprom would pay a sum of 2.9 billion US dollars under the Stockholm arbitration tribunal’s ruling. Ukraine, in turn, would revoke its claims to arrest Gazprom’s assets and properties, as well as its anti-monopoly claims to a sum of 7.4 billion US dollars. The sides also agreed to withdraw mutual lawsuits where no final decision has been made.

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