Ukraine will owe Russia about $5.2 billion for natural gas as of June 7 if it makes no payments by that date, the chief of state-controlled Russian gas exporter Gazprom, Alexei Miller, said Wednesday.
Gazprom says Ukraine now owes more than $3.5 billion, and has threatened to stop supplying the neighboring former Soviet republic with gas if it fails to make a pre-payment for June supplies by June 2.
Miller told President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine would consume a total of 3.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas in May worth around $1.7 billion, increasing Kiev's gas debt.
"Thus, by June 7, Ukraine's obligations for gas payments will top $5.2 billion," Miller told Putin, repeating Gazprom's position that it will supply as much gas as Ukraine pays for.
Putin responded by saying he hoped "we will not reach a situation when we will have to switch to prepayment".
Russia and Ukraine are fighting over gas prices, with Kiev wanting to change a 2009 contract that locked it into buying a set volume of gas, whether it needs it or not, at $485 per 1,000 cubic meters — the highest price paid by any client in Europe.
Moscow dropped the price to $268.50 after Ukraine's then-President Viktor Yanukovych turned his back on a trade and association agreement with the European Union last year, but reinstated the original price after he was ousted in February.
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.
