MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Naftogaz company is ready to pay $1.9 billion to Gazprom for new gas supplies, estimated at 10 million cubic meters, due in winter, Naftogaz head Andriy Kobolev said in an interview with the Handelsblatt Global Edition.
Kobolev said it was a disputable question whether the gas costs $ 3.1 billion or if its price was $ 5.2 billion as Gazprom had asked. “Russia has unilaterally increased gas price,” Kobolev said. Therefore, we have taken legal measures against this step at International Arbitration Court in Stockholm. At present, we are ready to repay half of our debt and $1.9 billion more for new gas supplies, Kobolev told Handelsblatt.
At a previous round of tripartite talks held with the participation of Russia, Ukraine and EU on September 26, a package agreement was adopted. The agreement was announced by Guenther Oettinger, EU Energy Commissioner, on October 1. The agreement envisages that Ukraine ought to pay $3.1 billion until the year's end to settle its debt to Gazprom for already supplied gas.
The Russian company is to supply 5 billion cubic meters of gas in obligatory supply and is to give an option for 5 billion cubic meters more, the agreement said.
Earlier, Gazprom Chief Alexey Miller had voiced doubt as to whether Ukraine would be able to pay off its gas debt in time.