Russia continues energy brinkmanship

Monday 12th January 2009, 9:40AM GMT.

Russia continues energy brinkmanshipEuropean energy ministers are meeting in Brussels today in an attempt to persuade Russia to resume supplies of natural gas, as the continent’s crisis continues.

Ukraine is believed to have signed a new version of the deal after Moscow rejected a first version of the agreement over the weekend.

Russia had accused Ukraine of adding additional small print to the terms of an EU-brokered agreement reached over the weekend and has frustrated officials by not immediately resuming supplies.

It follows six days of disruptions to gas supplies across much of eastern Europe after a pricing dispute between Russia and Ukraine through their energy companies Gazprom and Naftogaz.

Gazprom’s chief executive Alexei Miller will be in Brussels for today’s meeting after the Ukrainians ended their opposition to the agreement.

The Itar-Tass news agency had said Ukraine has attempted to “evade” international control through its “uncoordinated and additional conditions” on the protocol for Russian gas transit supplies.

He added: “Ukraine’s unilateral declaration, which specifies an alleged need for quite bigger gas supplies to provide for the necessary gas transit supplies, is an attempt of the Ukrainian authorities to legalise the stealing of gas.”

Ukraine denies the theft of natural gas but is now reported to have dropped its conditions.

The Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed Gazprom official as saying: “The deal needs to be re-signed anyway by all parties. Only then monitors will start arriving at gas compressor stations and gas will resume flowing.”



Free e-Supplements

TWITTER

Shropshire Star on Twitter Shropshire Star on Twitter

Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.

Lifestyle

Interactive Dining Out map Interactive Dining Out map

Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.

LIVE traffic updates

Road, rail and airport - latest Road, rail and airport - latest

Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.

OUR NEW APP

Get the new Shropshire Star app Get the new Shropshire Star app

Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.