No trilateral gas talks Russia-EU-Ukraine planned before yearend - Novak

17:03, 17.12.2016 1 min read

No more trilateral talks on Russian natural gas transit supplies will be held by Russia, Ukraine and the European Union this year, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said.

"There are no such plans at this point," Novak told reporters on Saturday.

Resumption of shipments of Russian natural gas to Ukraine, which were stopped in the autumn 2015, is solely dependent on Naftogaz Ukrainy's prepayment for the supplies, Novak said. "If they pay the money, shipments will follow," he said.

"We don't have any disagreement over the price and they have no outstanding debts. It doesn't take signing any agreements like the winter package with Ukraine as such. It only requires a prepayment made by Naftogaz to the benefit of Gazprom. And the shipments will follow. Therefore, the ball is on the side of Naftogaz now," Novak said.