Brussels, 01/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - Russian gas group Gazprom announced its intention on Friday 29 May to lodge a further action against the Ukrainian gas operator Naftogaz with the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Institute relating to penalties of $8.2 billion for gas not consumed but contracted for delivery by Gazprom to Naftogaz.
Gazprom took Naftogaz to the Stockholm Arbitration Institute in June 2014 over arrears of $4.5 billion. Naftogaz retaliated with an action for undue payments of $6 billion. No decision is expected from Stockholm before the end of 2016.
On Friday, Gazprom calculated Ukraine's total gas debt at $29.5 billion, including arrears for gas supplies, penalties and supply of gas to Donbass.
Russia, Ukraine and the EU are still in quest of a new gas supply agreement to follow on from the winter 2014-2015 package, which Moscow agreed to extend provisionally until the end of June. A trilateral technical-level meeting was scheduled to take place in Brussels on 2 June. (Emmanuel Hagry)