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.

“Everything concerning financial issues, concerning guarantees the European Commission is to issue to Ukraine, these liabilities will be committed to paper in a bilateral protocol,” he said. “As for out trilateral protocol, all principal provisions of this trilateral document have been agreed. A technical supplement to the contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz has also been agreed.”

“Today, the talks ended with the sides taking a break till tomorrow. But the meeting, the talks will take place only in case the Ukrainian side and the European Commission reach an agreement on that bilateral protocol,” Miller said. “If there is no such agreement, naturally, there will be no meetings, no talks tomorrow and no documents will be signed. If Ukraine and the European Commission ultimately reach an agreement, hence, these three document might be signed tomorrow - two protocols and a supplement to the contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz. Everything that concerns our documents where Russia is the side, where Gazprom is the side, all these issues have by now been agreed........................http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/757272
30/10/14
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Date for Trilateral Gas Talks Remains Undefined: Ukraine’s Energy Ministry

BRUSSELS, October 2  – The exact date for the next round of gas talks between Russia, Ukraine and the European Union has not been set yet, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan told journalists Thursday.

"[The date] is undefined," Prodan, who held a bilateral meeting with EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger earlier on Thursday, said.

On Wednesday, Prodan said that the trilateral gas talks in the European Union-Russia-Ukraine format were likely to be held on Friday.

Later in the day, the Russian energy ministry's press service said the talks would not be held this week and that the date of the trilateral gas meeting would be determined next week.

Kiev is not happy with the winter package for Russia's natural gas deliveries to Ukraine, endorsed by Russia and the European Commission during the ministerial gas meeting in Berlin last Friday.

According to the plan, Ukraine would have to repay $3.1 billion of its gas debt to Russia and pay in advance for the delivery of five billion cubic meters of gas at a price of $385 per 1,000 cubic meters, with a discount of $100.

Kiev, however, rejects Russia's offer of the discount in the form of an export-duty exemption and wants the contract price to be reduced instead.

Ukraine also wants to agree the debt repayment schedule, as well as terms and schedules of future gas deliveries and insists on amending the current gas contract with Russia in order to formally authorize reverse deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine from Europe.
(RIA Novosti)
2/10/14
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Ukraine-Russia-EU gas talks postponed till next week. --Ukraine’s debt for gas exceeds $5 billion

The trilateral Russia-EU-Ukraine talks have been postponed till next week, a European Commission representative told TASS on Wednesday.
Russian Energy Ministry spokesperson also told TASS that the talks have been postponed.

Previous round of talks

After the tripartite talks in Berlin on September 26 Russia, the EU and Ukraine prepared a new package on the gas problem. The agreement should be coordinated by the governments of the countries.

European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger, explaining the new agreement at a press conference after the meeting in Berlin, said Ukraine must pay $3.1 billion until the end of this year to repay its debt to Gazprom for the already supplied gas. The Russian company will supply five billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine and give an option for five billion cubic meters more. The price will be set at $385 for 1,000 cubic metres with a $100 discount (from $485 Russia previously insisted on). The discount will be in force only for the next six months.
Ukraine will pay $2 billion to Gazprom before October 2 for the supplied gas, and at least $1.1 billion until the end of 2014, the EU commissioner said. Thus, $3.1 billion must be paid until the end of this year.
Oettinger said final payment to settle the debts must be made after the arbitration consideration (no earlier than in the summer of 2015). The final settlement will depend on the court decision.
Ukraine’s debt for gas exceeds $5 billion.
http://en.itar-tass.com/economy/752259
1/10/14
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Related:

• Ukrainian Energy Ministry Not Satisfied With Berlin ‘Winter Plan’ on Gas

• Russia Ready to Implement 'Winter Gas Plan,' Waiting for Kiev's Response (Alexander Novak, Energy Minister) 

• 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...")

• Gas talks: Oettinger proposed supply agreement for coming winter

• Russia, Ukraine reach interim deal on gas dispute

• Ukraine’s Naftogaz calls for new gas transit deal with Russia

Ukrainian Energy Ministry Not Satisfied With Berlin ‘Winter Plan’ on Gas

The Ukrainian Energy Ministry said Tuesday it had three reasons to object the “Winter Plan” on gas, endorsed by Russia and the European Commission during the ministerial gas meeting in Berlin last Friday.

The plan envisages that Kiev repays of $3.1 billion of its gas debt to Russia and pays in advance to Gazprom for the delivery of five billion cubic meters of gas at the price of $385 per 1,000 cubic meters, with a discount of $100. The plan, intended to reduce risks for transit of Europe-bound Russian gas via Ukraine, is to be in place until late March.

Kiev, however, rejects Russia’s offer of the $100 gas-price discount in the form of an export-duty exemption and wants the contract price to be reduced instead.

Ukraine also wants to agree the debt repayment schedule, as well as terms and schedules of future gas deliveries.

Kiev also insists on amending the current gas contract with Russia in order to formally authorize the reverse deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine from Europe.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia is ready for the "Winter Plan" of delivering natural gas to Ukraine and is waiting for Kiev's reaction.

Moscow and Kiev have a long history of disputes over natural gas deliveries. In June, Russia's gas giant Gazprom was forced to introduce a prepayment system for gas deliveries to Ukraine due to Kiev's massive debt which is currently estimated at $5.3 billion.

As Ukraine is not only a consumer, but also a major transit country for Russian gas supplies to Europe, the European Union has repeatedly emphasized the importance of trilateral gas talks, the next round of which is scheduled to take place in Berlin on October 2 and 3.
(RIA Novosti)
30/9/14
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• Russia Ready to Implement 'Winter Gas Plan,' Waiting for Kiev's Response (Alexander Novak, Energy Minister) 

• 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...")

• Gas talks: Oettinger proposed supply agreement for coming winter

• Russia, Ukraine reach interim deal on gas dispute

• Ukraine’s Naftogaz calls for new gas transit deal with Russia

Russia Ready to Implement 'Winter Gas Plan,' Waiting for Kiev's Response (Alexander Novak, Energy Minister)

Russia is ready to implement the “winter plan” of delivering natural gas to Ukraine and is waiting for Kiev’s reaction, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Tuesday.

“It all depends on Ukraine. I believe that from our side we are practically ready to do everything that we agreed on in regard to this packet. We’ll wait for a reaction from Ukraine in the next few days when everything becomes clear,” Novak told journalists.

The “winter gas packet” is due to be sent to the Russian government for approval soon.

“First, the three parties [Russia, Ukraine, EU] need to agree during the trilateral consultations, then we’ll be able to talk about the next steps: putting it on the government’s agenda,” Novak said.

Earlier, Novak said the next trilateral gas talks were scheduled to take place in Berlin on October 2-3.

In June, Russian gas giant Gazprom introduced a prepayment system for gas deliveries to Ukraine over Kiev's refusal to pay off its gas debt that currently is in excess of $5 billion.

Gazprom's head, Alexey Miller, said that Russia insisted that Ukraine pay $2 billion of its total debt in October and another $1.1 billion by the end of the year.

Ukraine's Minister of Energy Yuri Prodan said that Ukraine would first make an advance payment of $1.9 billion for the future delivery of five billion cubic meters of gas and then pay another $1.5 billion, as part of the debt, at the end of October, followed by $800 million in November and December.

The European Union has repeatedly emphasized the importance of trilateral gas talks, fearing possible troubles with gas transit to Europe via Ukraine.
 (RIA Novosti)30/9/14
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Related:

• 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...")

• Gas talks: Oettinger proposed supply agreement for coming winter

• Russia, Ukraine reach interim deal on gas dispute

• Ukraine’s Naftogaz calls for new gas transit deal with Russia