BRUSSELS, June 18 (RIA Novosti) - The European Union on Thursday called on Russian energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz to reach a long-term agreement on secure natural gas supplies.
"The Commission urged both parties, Gazprom and Naftogaz, to reach a stable and long-term arrangement to secure transit towards the EU," the Commission press release said.
The European Union made the announcement during the conclusion of a meeting of an EU coordination group on gas, attended by representatives of both Gazprom and Naftogaz.
Following the gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev that halted deliveries to Europe for two weeks in January, the EU has concerns over the potential risks to gas transit this winter and measures to be taken for short- and medium-term guarantees of delivery.
The statement called on all parties to fulfill completely their legal and contractual obligations in regard to gas transit to the EU.
The EU has ordered the coordination group to provide detailed information on preparedness to deal with problems in gas delivery this fall and winter by the next meeting on July 2.
