KIEV, November 5. /TASS/. Europe will remain key gas supplier to Ukraine in winter, Ukraine's Naftogaz said in a report on Wednesday.

Russia’s Gazprom gas will be bought as the need arises, Naftogaz quoted the company’s CEO Andriy Kobolev as saying.

“The temporary agreements signed in Brussels allow Naftogaz Ukrainy to order Gazprom’s gas under a flexible schedule and without ‘the take-or-pay’ condition. Naftogaz’s payment of $1.45 billion for gas supplied by Gazprom in November-December 2013 and in April-June 2014 was the condition for resuming Russian gas supplies to Ukraine. Nafrogaz made this payment on November 4,” the report said.

Kobolev said under the agreement, Russian gas would be purchased “during the period of peak demand.” “We admit we see Ukrainian consumers take more gas than other resources can do (own extraction, import from the EU, storage facilities), we will need additional gas. Then we’ll exercise our right to buy gas from Gazprom,” he said.

“European companies remain the key gas supplier to Ukraine this winter,” Kobolev added.