Ukraine asks EU for 4 bln dlr to pay for Russian gas
11:32, 19 June 2009
BRUSSELS. June 19. KAZINFORM Naftogaz Ukrainy has no funds to keep storing Russian gas in its underground gas holders, the company?s first deputy CEO, Igor Didenko, said on the sidelines of a meeting of the EU Gas Coordination Group, Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
The company?s official said Ukraine has paid in full for the gas it has consumed so far, but it has no more money. He urged ?other companies not to be egoistic in the context of the economic crisis.?
Kiev hopes for a reply from the European Union within weeks.
The EU coordinating group for gas that gathered in order to look into the Russian gas supplies to Ukraine and its transit to Europe ended its first session. Gazprom and Naftogaz representatives presented their vision of the situation. Within minutes a second meeting of the coordination group is to begin behind closed doors. European Commission experts, and EU countries? and European energy representatives are to carry out a detailed analysis of the situation.
The spokesman of the European energy commissioner, Ferran Tarradellas Espuni, has told Itar-Tass the results of the coordination group?s work will be at once reported to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who will include the question of opening a credit line to Ukraine for gas settlements on the agenda of the EU?s two-day summit opening today. The spokesman also said that the coordinating group is not empowered to discuss the issue of a loan to Ukraine, Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.