Gazprom threatens to cut off natural gas to Ukraine again

Source: CCTV.com | 02-08-2008 13:57

Gazprom headquarters in Moscow. The natural gas company has threatened to turn off supplies to Ukraine in a payment dispute. (Grigory Dukor/Reuters)

Russia's Gazprom warns it will cut-off supplies to Ukraine unless its neighbor arranges payment of more than a billion dollars. The deadline for that debt is Monday. Meanwhile, Gazprom says any move will not affect its other European customers.

Most of Ukraine's gas comes from Central Asia through Gazprom pipelines. Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko says the dispute would be solved and there won't be any problem with gas deliveries.

Sergei Kupriyanov, Gazprom Spokesman, said, "Taking into account the fact that gas deliveries to Ukraine have not been provided for in Gazprom's gas balance for 2008, if the deliveries are to continue, we demand the Ukrainian side, immediately sign a corresponding contract and documents, and make full payments for debt that has passed its expiry date. If this situation is not settled within the next few days, by next Monday, Gazprom will not continue this help, and deliveries of Russian gas for Ukraine will be stopped."

 

Editor:Yang Jie