Gas tensions between Moscow and Kiev

There has been a sharp escalation of bitter dispute between Moscow and Kiev over natural gas supplies when the Russian Gazprom stated that the parties are far from agreement, and warned Ukraine that will not allow it to steal gas.Deputy head of the state gas company Alexander Medvedev told a British newspaper The Financial Times , that the negotiations with Ukraine on the issue of debt and future gas prices far from complete . However, he expressed hope that a deal could be concluded before the end of goda.Kiev and Moscow since the early 90-ies argue about how much Ukraine should pay for gas. The dispute in the winter of 2005-2006 resulted in a significant disruption in the supply and price increases in some EU countries. With Russian gas imports provided about 25 per cent of the EU market, and about 80 percent of the gas is transited through the territory Ukrainy.V during a similar dispute a year ago Gazprom reduce the supply to Ukraine without significant consequences for Evrosoyuza.Tem least when Today the global financial crisis has its pressure on both sides, tension is increasing – in fact from January 1, must begin to act a new agreement on deliveries. According to Gazprom , Ukraine at the end of November, owed him about 2.4 billion dollars by paying only a small amount after the signing last month an agreement on debt uregulirovanii.Rukovoditeli Gazprom met in Brussels with representatives of the European Commission in an attempt to explain the reasons for its determined to force Ukraine to pay schetam.Rossiyskaya company believes that Brussels will be able to have some influence in the resolution of the dispute, or at least make sure that in the event of disruptions in deliveries to blame for it will not only Gazprom . Gazprom States that does everything possible to avoid stopping the gas flow to Ukraine, even agreeing to the deferral of payments. Gazprom is also seeking to finalize the agreement in October agreement between Putin and Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko, in which the price of gas Ukraine by 2011 to match the one paid by the EU. Details of transition is not yet soglasovany.Ukraina currently pays for one thousand cubic meters of gas 179 and a half dollars, while the expected price for gas to the EU in the first half of next year may amount to about 400 dollarov.Putin last week said: As we can leave prices this year, even though today our Ukrainian partners have so far given us the same gas almost 2 times cheaper than in Europe? Go to Germany in any store, go and say: I wish to take Mercedes free – well, who gives? – or at half price . Company Naftogaz Ukrainy said: The global financial crisis, namely, the fall in Ukrainian currency hampered our efforts to settle the debt. We are currently negotiating with Ukrainian and foreign banks to refinance the debt .