"What I heard at the [Energy Security] conference [in Berlin] signifies that the European Union will take an active part in the Brussels-Kiev-Moscow triangle to come up with the [gas] price mechanism," Chalyi said, adding that he is "more certain than uncertain" that the sides will agree to prolong the Russian gas deliveries to Ukraine in the second half of 2015.
Chalyi, who is also the head of the Grant Thornton Ukraine audit and consulting company, added that in the light of the current slump in oil prices, the amount of money Russia charges for its gas deliveries to Ukraine is "quite reasonable."
According to Chalyi, the pending issue of Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz's debt to Gazprom is also being discussed with the European Commission.
Chalyi did not rule out that the existing agreements may undergo politically motivated changes, should the situation in the conflict zone between Kiev forces and eastern Ukrainian militias aggravate.
"But so far yesterday in Minsk the participants [of the Ukraine reconciliation talks] commented on the situation in a positive manner and this gives us certainty that the process of settlement [of the Ukrainian conflict] will be deepening," Chalyi said.
Last summer, Russia's Gazprom switched Ukraine to a prepayment system for gas deliveries over Kiev's gas debt, at the time in excess of $5 billion.
Following months of talks, Brussels, Moscow and Kiev agreed to a "winter package" deal that guaranteed deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine with a $100-discount per 1,000 cubic meters until the end of March. Later, Moscow extended the deal until the end of June.
