New threat: to Ukraine
Kiev told to pay up or gas is off
Russian gas giant Gazprom said today it remained committed to cut supplies to Ukraine on 1 January if Kiev does not redeem its $1.67 billion debt for gas supplies and $450 million in fines.
Reuters quoted Gazprom's spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov telling a news conference that if the debt was redeemed the company saw no problems in reaching a pricing deal for 2009 on "acceptable terms".
Meanwhile Gazprom said it believed big gas stocks in Ukraine provided a further guarantee of smooth transit of Russian gas to Europe even if it cuts supplies to Ukraine.
"I must say that this year the Ukrainian side has prepared well for the autumn-winter period... It means that there is technical capacity to ensure transit to Europe," Kupriyanov told a news conference.