MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) – In order to prevent a new gas crisis, that Russia and EU do not need, the EU should continue to put pressure on Kiev until it pays the entire gas debt to Russia, the head of the Russian State Duma's Committee on Foreign Affairs Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter Monday.
“Neither Russia, nor the EU needs a new gas crisis. To prevent it, the EU should continue to put pressure on Kiev until the debt is paid in full,” he wrote.
According to EU Energy Commissioner Günther, Ukraine’s gas debt to Russia had reached $4 billion upgrading the previous figure of $3.5.
The gas price for Ukraine surged from $268.5 to $485.50 per 1,000 cubic meters in April after Russia annulled two discounts granted previously to the country. Kiev keeps rejecting the new price saying it was ready to clear its debt if Moscow agreed to sell gas at the old price.
In May, Gazprom announced a switch to a prepayment scheme, in full accordance with the energy contract between Russian and Ukraine. Following the decision, an advance bill was sent to Naftogaz for June deliveries, with supplies to be suspended starting June 3 if the debt is not at least partly paid off.
Earlier in the day the Russian Energy Ministry confirmed it had received $786.4 million from Ukraine, instead of the previously announced $2 billion, as payment for February and March gas deliveries.
The Gazpom CEO Alexei Miller announced Monday that the company had postponed the introduction of advance payment scheme for Ukraine until June 9 to give Kiev an opportunity to pay for the May gas deliveries.
