PT:Putin: Russia, Ukraine to stick to existing gas supply contracts
MOSCOW, Jun 8 (PRIME) -- Russia and Ukraine have confirmed their intention to stick to the terms of existing agreements on the price of Russian natural gas supplies to Ukraine, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said at a conference late Tuesday after a meeting of the committee for the economic cooperation between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Putin reiterated that the Russian government was ready to continue discussing with the Ukrainian government various ways of cooperation between the two countries over natural gas supplies.
In turn, Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said that Ukraine is still unhappy with the price terms of the existing contracts on Russian gas supplies. There are some problems, which should still be discussed to find a solution that would be favorable for both countries, he added.
Meanwhile, Azarov said that the Ukrainian government did not plan to increase the price of Russian gas transit to Europe through Ukraine.
Putin admitted that Ukraine could face some difficulties due to the increase in gas prices. Meanwhile, he said that the growth of gas prices was caused by the situation on the global markets, as the price of Russian gas for Ukraine was calculated by a market formula.
The Ukrainian government is currently seeking to revise the agreement on the price of natural gas supplies, concluded in 2009, as the price of natural gas supplies from Russia is expected to exceed U.S. $400 per 1,000 cubic meters in October–December, including a $100 discount, Konstantin Borodin, head of the oil, gas, and oil refining department at Ukraine’s Energy and Coal Industry Ministry said earlier.`