KIEV — Ukraine began formal negotiations with Russia to secure a new price formula for imports of Russian gas, replacing that agreed on in January 2009, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said Friday.
"Negotiations have just begun. … I do not doubt that we will arrive at a formula that is acceptable to us," Azarov said.
The government says the 2009 agreement, signed when Yulia Tymoshenko was in power, set an unfairly high price for Russian gas supplies. The agreement set prices for Russian deliveries on the basis of the prices for oil products, which have since rocketed. It also set a base price of $450 per 1,000 cubic meters, the highest in Europe.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
