Brussels, 22/07/2016 (Agence Europe) -On Wednesday 20 July, Ukrainian gas company Naftogaz said it was ready to resume talks on gas supplies with Russian gas company Gazprom, under EU mediation.
“Naftogaz confirms the readiness to resume trilateral negotiations with Gazprom in order to coordinate terms of buying Russian gas as proposed by European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic”, the Ukrainian gas company stated on Wednesday, adding that it was ready to take part in a meeting in the near future, to be held in a location convenient for both parties.
During the visit of Ukraine's prime minister Volodymyr Groysman to Brussels on Tuesday 19 July, Sefcovic had called on Naftogaz and Gazprom to discuss an arrangement on Ukraine's purchase of Russian gas at mutually beneficial conditions, adding that the EU was ready to act as mediator if needed. Sefcovic also announced that he planned to visit Russia and Ukraine in September in order to try and find a constructive solution, as in the past two years.
Involved in a long-term gas dispute, Russia and Ukraine agreed on a memorandum of understanding, under EU mediation in September 2015. This was valid until the end of March 2016 for the supply of Russian gas to Ukraine for winter 2015-16 (EUROPE 11398).
However, Ukraine stopped all its purchases of Russian gas at the end of November, and since then has been supplied mainly by Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.
The verdict of the Stockholm arbitration court on the complaint lodged by Gazprom in June 2014 concerning the Naftogaz's payment arrears is not expected until the end of 2016.
Joint EU-Ukraine working group on Ukrainian GTS. The EU and Ukraine also agreed on Tuesday to work on stepping up the use of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS). This is possible due to the establishment of a joint group of experts. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)