The European Union (EU) unblocked an agreement on gas supplies to Ukraine from Europe. This agreement will allow the supply of natural gas to Ukraine through Slovakia – which could reduce Ukraine’s dependence on Russian natural gas. Russia is the largest supplier of gas to Ukraine.
“We have found a compromise on the content and we reached an agreement... Slovakia and Ukraine should sign it in the coming days," the SITA newswire quoted the European Commission (EC) statement. Slovak gas carrier Eustream confirmed that it is working with the European Commission and Ukrainian partners on the wording of a Memorandum of Understanding on a possible form of transporting natural gas in the direction from Slovakia to Ukraine.
“Although the negotiations have advanced, they are not yet finished and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment on the details of the document before it is signed,” Eustream spokesman Vahram Chuguryan told the SITA newswire. A representative of Ukraine said that it is very likely that the agreement will be signed during the next few days and then Ukraine will receive gas imported from Slovakia. Ukraine would be able to import from European markets 15 billion cubic meters of gas per year for prices below those currently charged by Russia's Gazprom.
(Source: SITA)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
