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| Russia-Ukraine gas talks collapse | Russia-Ukraine gas talks collapse | |
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| Talks to resolve a gas supply row between Ukraine and Russia have failed, the chief executive of Russian gas giant Gazprom has said. | Talks to resolve a gas supply row between Ukraine and Russia have failed, the chief executive of Russian gas giant Gazprom has said. | |
| Alexei Miller said gas supplies to Ukraine would be cut on Thursday but that Russia would do its best to guarantee supplies to Europe. | Alexei Miller said gas supplies to Ukraine would be cut on Thursday but that Russia would do its best to guarantee supplies to Europe. | |
| Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin earlier said that Ukraine would block supplies to Europe if no deal was done. | Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin earlier said that Ukraine would block supplies to Europe if no deal was done. | |
| Ukraine denies owing money to Gazprom, and says it has guaranteed gas transit. | Ukraine denies owing money to Gazprom, and says it has guaranteed gas transit. | |
| In an announcement which came before the official deadline for the close of the talks, Gazprom said it would cut Ukraine's supply from 0700 GMT on Thursday. | ||
Europe's gas pipeline network | "The debt to Gazprom for gas supplied earlier was not paid. Despite verbal statements from Kiev, Gazprom did not see any money in its account," said Mr Miller in a live television briefing. | | |
| He criticised Ukraine's stance during the negotiations as "unconstructive", and said Gazprom had no legal reason to continue supplying gas to Ukraine. | He criticised Ukraine's stance during the negotiations as "unconstructive", and said Gazprom had no legal reason to continue supplying gas to Ukraine. | |
| Mr Miller said the contract to supply gas depended on the full settlement of £2bn in gas bills and late-payment fines levied by Gazprom. | Mr Miller said the contract to supply gas depended on the full settlement of £2bn in gas bills and late-payment fines levied by Gazprom. | |
| He also suggested that Kiev was seeking to provoke a wider dispute, saying he was "forming the impression that there are political forces in Ukraine which are very eager to see a gas conflict between our two countries". | ||
| A similar row between Gazprom and Ukraine in 2006 led to gas shortages in several EU countries. | A similar row between Gazprom and Ukraine in 2006 led to gas shortages in several EU countries. | |
| 'Unconstructive' | 'Unconstructive' | |
| A spokesman for Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz, Valentin Zemlyansky, confirmed that the negotiations were over. | A spokesman for Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz, Valentin Zemlyansky, confirmed that the negotiations were over. | |
| Naftogaz said it has paid $1.5bn (£1bn) in outstanding bills to RosUkrEnergo - a Switzerland-registered gas trading company which is acting as an intermediary - but not the fines imposed by Gazprom. | Naftogaz said it has paid $1.5bn (£1bn) in outstanding bills to RosUkrEnergo - a Switzerland-registered gas trading company which is acting as an intermediary - but not the fines imposed by Gazprom. | |
| Gazprom's Alexei Miller said he blamed Ukraine entirely for the situationThe company also said that natural gas supplies to European neighbours would remain secure, reported AFP. | Gazprom's Alexei Miller said he blamed Ukraine entirely for the situationThe company also said that natural gas supplies to European neighbours would remain secure, reported AFP. | |
| "Europe will receive all the gas Russia supplies it with," the agency quoted Bogdan Sokolovsky, the Ukrainian president's representative on energy issues, as saying. | "Europe will receive all the gas Russia supplies it with," the agency quoted Bogdan Sokolovsky, the Ukrainian president's representative on energy issues, as saying. | |
| Gazprom is the world's largest gas producer and supplies a quarter of the European Union's gas needs, or 42% of the EU's gas imports, much of it via Ukraine. | Gazprom is the world's largest gas producer and supplies a quarter of the European Union's gas needs, or 42% of the EU's gas imports, much of it via Ukraine. | |
| Russia's Vladimir Putin had earlier warned Ukraine not to disrupt the transit of gas to Europe. | Russia's Vladimir Putin had earlier warned Ukraine not to disrupt the transit of gas to Europe. | |
| He warned of "very severe consequences" for Ukraine in terms of its relations with both Russia and European countries. | ||
| Mr Putin said Gazprom had been generous in offering Ukraine a price of $250 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas in 2009, given that the price in Europe was currently more than $500. | Mr Putin said Gazprom had been generous in offering Ukraine a price of $250 per 1,000 cubic metres of gas in 2009, given that the price in Europe was currently more than $500. | |
| He said he understood that Ukraine was in "a difficult economic situation" which was worse than Russia's, but put the dispute down to a "war of the clans" between the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, and President Viktor Yushchenko. | He said he understood that Ukraine was in "a difficult economic situation" which was worse than Russia's, but put the dispute down to a "war of the clans" between the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, and President Viktor Yushchenko. | |
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| Are you in Ukraine? How concerned are you about the Russian decision? Send your comment using the form below: | Are you in Ukraine? How concerned are you about the Russian decision? Send your comment using the form below: | |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | ||