EU energy chief assures Russia that Ukraine has funds to purchase gas

Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Energy Union Maros Sefcovic has assured Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak that Ukraine has funds for the purchase of gas and Ukraine will receive additional funds in the near future, the Russian Minister told reporters.

Gazprom ceases gas supplies to Ukraine until new payments

Gazprom ceases gas supplies to Naftogaz of Ukraine until new payments; Ukraine refusing to buy Russian gas creates risks for gas transit to Europe and gas supplies for the Ukrainian consumers, Gazprom Head Alexey Miller said Wednesday.

Gazprom launches gas supplies to Ukraine

Russian gas giant Gazprom may supply 2.166 bln cubic meters of gas to Ukraine’s state gas company Naftogaz till end-October at maximum supplies mode, CEO Alexey Miller said on Monday.

Russia notes possible risks of gas transit to Europe through Ukraine (Alexander Novak, Energy Minister)

Russia does not want to allow risks in the course of gas transit to Europe through Ukraine, in case Ukraine does not provide gas injection to the underground storage facilities in the necessary volume, the Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview with Rossiya 24 channel after the trilateral meeting on gas between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union in Vienna.

Tourist flights to ISS: Soyuz flight to ISS in September unchanged after space tourist drops out

The news that British singer Sarah Brightman postponed her plans to travel to the ISS as a space tourist will not affect the flight of Souyz TMA-18M spacecraft to the International Space Station in September, a source from the Russian space industry told Tass on Wednesday.

Russia-Ukraine-EU Trilateral Gas Talks on March 2 Confirmed

Trilateral gas talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union slated for March 2 have been confirmed, European Commission spokeswoman on energy Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said Thursday.

Gazprom: gas supplies to Ukraine can stop in two days

There's 219 million cubic meters of Russian gas left that Ukraine has prepaid for, no new prepayments have been submitted yet, Russian gas giant Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller told journalists on Tuesday.

Ukraine’s Naftogaz transfers $1.65 bln to Russia’s Gazprom under Brussels agreements

Ukraine’s Naftogaz has transferred 1.65 billion U.S. dollars to Russia’s Gazprom as repayment its gas debts, Naftogaz said on Wednesday.

Russia to Halt Gas Sales to Ukraine if Kiev Fails to Repay $1.65Bln

Russia will stop gas sales to Ukraine if Kiev fails to repay $1.65 billion of its gas debt to Russia, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Tuesday.

EU to Continue Financial Aid Provision for Ukraine's Gas Debt Repayment (Official)

The European Union intends to continue the provision of financial assistance to Ukraine to help the country repay its debt for Russian gas, EU Ambassador to Russia Vigaudas Ushatskas stated Wednesday.

"Our aid reaches billion euros, including what we have already given and will give [to Ukraine]. We have been helping to reach a treaty between Russia and Ukraine on the whole range of complex gas issues. And we will allocate the amounts that will be needed to pay off [debts for] gas," Ushatskas told Ekho Moskvy radio.

Kiev Agrees With IMF to Pay for Russian Gas During Winter Period From Own Exchange Reserve

Kiev has agreed with International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it will pay for Russian gas during the winter period from Ukraine's exchange reserves, the country's national bank said.

"We managed to agree with IMF that the payments for the gas can be made from our own exchange reserves and IMF will support us. That is why we are confident we can support all the payments to Gazprom on the recent gas agreement," the Head of Ukraine's National Bank Valeriia Gontareva said at the press briefing.

Russia Ukraine and EU agree gas supply deal (Günther H. Oettinger /EC)

From the Official Website of the European Commission, Press release, Brussels, 30 October 2014:

"After seven rounds of gas negotiations, last night's talks moderated by Günther H. Oettinger, Vice-President of the European Commission, yielded finally a breakthrough: A 4,6 billion dollar winter package, agreed by Russia and Ukraine, secures gas for Ukraine - and ultimately also for Europe.

Gazprom CEO: No gas agreement to be signed until Ukraine, EU agree on financial guarantees

No gas agreements will be signed until “Ukraine and the European Union reach an agreement on financial guarantees,” Alexei Miller, the CEO of Russia’s gas giant Gazprom, said after the first round of tripartite gas talks.
 
He said three documents had been prepared for signing at the tripartite gas talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union. According to Miller, these documents are two protocols: a protocol in a trilateral format between Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission and a bilateral protocol between the European Commission and Ukraine.

Ukraine, Russia tackle gas crisis as tensions spike

Ukraine and Russia were set Wednesday to resume crunch EU-mediated gas talks aimed at ending a months-long supply cut that threatens to hit swathes of Europe this winter.

The latest negotiations in ­Brussels come a day after Russia stirred ­tensions with its war-torn neighbor further by announcing plans to recognize the disputed leadership polls pro-Kremlin insurgents in eastern Ukraine intend to stage on Sunday.

Ukraine, US Discuss Liquefied Gas Deliveries: Kiev

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin and US Senator for Oklahoma Jim Inhofe met for talks in Kiev and discussed deliveries of liquefied natural gas from the United States to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

“Special attention during the talks was paid to the strengthening of energy security in Ukraine, particularly through the supply of liquefied natural gas from the United States,” a statement published on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s official website said.

EU energy commissioner, Ukraine energy minister discuss forthcoming tripartite gas talks

European energy commissioner Guenther Oettinger and Ukraine’s Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuri Prodan had a telephone conversation on Monday to discuss aspects of the forthcoming tripartite gas talks due in Brussels on October 29, a spokesman for the European Commission told TASS.

According to TASS information, the sides discussed issues of financial guarantees to Ukraine to pay for Russian gas supplies in November-December 2014.

Russia submits draft gas agreement to EU, Ukraine

Russia has submitted a draft trilateral protocol agreement to solve gas dispute to the EU and Ukraine, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters Friday.

“I gave the draft trilateral protocol agreement to our partners in Ukraine and the EU on October 21, it is under their consideration,” Novak said. “I do not have the information on what proposals our partners in negotiations are discussing. They have promised to speak them out at trilateral consultations on October 29,” Novak said.

Gas talks: Negotiations to be continued next week

From the Official Website of the European Commission, Statement, Brussels, 21 October 2014:

"At today's gas talks in Brussels, Vice-President Günther H. Oettinger, built on his Berlin proposals and presented ways to secure gas supplies to Europe and the Ukraine during the winter season.

Russia offers Ukraine more flexible schedule to pay gas debt

Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia offered Ukraine a more flexible schedule to clear the debt for gas, RIA Novosti reports.

Under the new proposal, $1.451 billion is to be paid before the start of gas supplies. The rest of the amount - before the end of the year. The total debt is evaluated at $3.1 billion.

Next Trilateral Talks Over Gas to Take Place Between Russia, Ukraine, EC in October. ("Sometimes it happens that what is understood orally is interpreted in writing somewhat differently...")

The next trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission over the standing issues surrounding gas will take place on October 2 or 3, Aleksander Novak, Russia's Minister of Energy, stated.

"First, we are currently drawing up the proposals that were presented to all the parties for uniform understanding. Sometimes it happens that what is understood orally is interpreted in writing somewhat differently. This will be done in the next few days. The Ukrainian side, the Russian side and the European Commission will each receive it [the written agreement]. We have agreed that we will meet to discuss the final package either Thursday or Friday next week,"- Novak said in an interview with the TV channel Russia-24.