No documents signed by Russia, Ukraine, EU during gas talks

No documents were signed by Russia, Ukraine and the European Union during trilateral gas talks, chief executive of Ukraine’s Naftogaz Andrei Kobolev said after meeting. "We did not sign. No agreements were managed to be reached today," Kobolev said.

"It is impossible to buy Russian gas under the contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz without an addendum," TASS quoted him as saying.

Earlier, Vice President of the European Commission (EC) Maros Sefcovic said that trilateral gas talks among Russia, the European Union and Ukraine "will continue". 

"Facilitated by the Commission, substantial progress on gas sale and purchase has been made, but some work still remains to be done. Parties were close to conclude today and will now need to discuss the format of the agreement. I was reassured that dialogue will continue," he said.

The European Commission is ready to facilitate these talks, he added.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has delivered a speech following trilateral gas talks: 

"It can be said according to outcomes that the Ukrainian party expressed readiness to buy from 1.5 to 4 bln cubic meters of gas in winter season in order to provide reliable supply for Ukrainian consumers and transit to European consumers," Novak said, adding that Gazprom ready to supply gas to Ukraine.

"The Russian party and Gazprom showed readiness to supply Russian gas to Ukraine within the framework of the effective contract," the Russian minister said. Russia is deeply concerned of Ukraine’s decision to impose $6.6 bln fine, the minister went on.

Novak handed over a letter concerning an antimonopoly probe against Gazprom in Ukraine to Maros Sefcovic. Similar letters were written to energy ministers of countries - consumers of Russian gas, Novak said. "We expressed deep concerns of the decision made on December 5 by the economic court of Kiev to impose $6.6 bln fine on Gazprom. In our opinion, this is an absolute unlawful decision, since it was not made by Stockholm Court, and gives an opportunity for the time being to speak about new risks of gas transit to European consumers," the Russian minister said.

Russia and Ukraine have no disagreements on gas price. "This time we have no price disagreements because the Ukrainian party and the Russian party confirm that the gas price formed in this quarter, particularly in December, pursuant to the contract formula, is absolutely competitive," Novak said.

"The Ukrainian side is interested in buying gas from Russia, in commercial aspect," the minister said.

Russia does not plan to hold oil production optimization talks with the OPEC today, Novak added. "Talks are scheduled for tomorrow and today we should fly from Brussels to Vienna," the Russian minister said.