KIEV, June 13. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine may settle $1.9 billion of the overdue payment to Gazprom on Friday, Naftogaz of Ukraine’s CEO Andriy Kobolev told reporters on June 13.
Kiev “is ready for a compromise to pay $326 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas for 18 months, so that the price dispute may be finalized,” he said.
“In the framework of a reasonable compromise, it is acceptable for Kiev to agree to the option suggested by the European Commission - the price around $385, the average price - $326,” he said. However, he said, Ukraine considered that tariff “very high,” as the country had “offers from major European companies, which suggest pumping gas from Europe at much lower prices.”
“If in the settlement for the consumed gas Gazprom would like to have additional guarantees, we shall give those,” he said. “Those may be sovereign guarantees.”
He said Naftogaz was ready to continue constructive negotiations with Gazprom any time, in any European city “and with participation of the EU representatives.”
“We want those talks to be transparent and to involve the third party,” head of Naftogaz said.