Novatek prepared to supply liquefied gas to Gazprom in the coming winter to ensure it can honor contracts amid the uncertainty over transit via Ukraine, Novatek CEO Leonid Mikhelson told reporters.

Asked whether the issue of LNG supplies by Novatek to Gazprom in that situation had arisen, he said: "It has not arisen, but I have been thinking about this."

"Why have I been thinking about it? There's still time to think about it. These summer months will show what Yamal LNG is actually capable of producing, that there'll be a steady 8-9% in the winter months that has not been contracted. And in the first quarter, in January, depending how things are with the equipment, we'll try and launch a fourth train, another 900,000 tonnes. If Gazprom approaches us then we'll consider it. It's of paramount importance to the country not to disrupt those contracts that Gazprom has signed for the European consumer," he said.