ASTANA, January 11 (RIA Novosti) -President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that the government would if necessary help Russian energy giant Gazprom meet its commitments to Ukraine under the new gas deal agreed by the two countries earlier this month.
"The Ukrainian president raised only one issue today - Russia's commitments, including to [Ukraine's gas] balance," Putin told a news conference in the Kazakh capital Astana following talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko. "I will instruct the government, if necessary, to help Gazprom fulfil its obligations," he said. There was currently no need for any such government help, he also said.
Under the new gas deal, Gazprom is to sell Central Asian gas to a intermediary, RosUkrEnergo, which is Swiss-based but owned half by Gazprom and half by Austrian bank Raiffeisen. RosUkrEnergo will then sell gas on to another joint venture in Ukraine, to be set up by RosUkrEnergo and Ukrainian state gas firm Naftogaz.
Putin also said that he expected the acting Ukrainian prime minister, Yuriy Yekhanurov, in Moscow soon. The Ukrainian parliament dismissed Yekhanurov's government Tuesday, amid concerns over the gas deal.
"We have invited the Ukrainian prime minister to visit Moscow in the near future," Putin said.
