Russian natural gas prices to Ukraine will be reduced by $40 to $247 per thousand cubic meters,听Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Monday.
鈥淐onsidering Ukraine鈥檚 economic condition, a discount for gas sales to Ukraine was something expected from our side,鈥� Medvedev said at听a meeting in Moscow with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Alexey Miller, the head of听Russian gas giant Gazprom.
Medvedev said听that the discount would be effective on payments for the second quarter of 2015 and that Ukraine would have to pay the normal amount in the third quarter, which is $287 for 1000 cubic meters. 听
Gazprom had increased听Ukraine's gas prices from $286 per 1000听cubic meters to $485 in April 2014, terminating its previous, and more favorable, agreement that had been made with the former pro-Russian government.
Calling听Russia's decision a "declaration of economic war,"听Ukraine听had sought to negotiate a new price given that European countries paid between $300 and $350 and听refused to pay its debt or adhere to the price hike.
After long negotiations by the European Commission,听Moscow,听Kiev and the EU signed a deal in October to secure the flow of听Russian natural gas to听Ukraine听last winter for $286 per 1000听cubic meters, with a deadline set for July 2015.
The three parties will meet on June 30 to discuss gas supplies.
Russia听provides a third of Europe鈥檚 gas needs, half of it supplied via pipelines through Ukraine.
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Reporting by听Hakan Ceyhan Aydogan
Writing by Emre G眉rkan Abay听
Anadolu Agency
gurkan.abay@aa.com.tr
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