EU will redouble Efforts to achieve gas agreement between Ukraine and Russia

European Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger said today in Prague the need to intensify the brokering efforts to find a solution to the gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev, although he showed himself “optimistic” about the possibility of an early agreement.

Oettinger said that it will be needed a “strategy” in the coming hours after Kiev reserves to the community proposal, which will enable further negotiations while “some payments are made.”

The Gazprom Company announced it will cut off supplies from June 1 in case that the debt contracted by Ukraine since November is not payed, and which could rise to USD 3,500 million.

Both sides discussed yesterday in Berlin a consistent Community proposal to pay now USD 2.000 million, negotiate market prices and pay another 500 million dollars to settle part of the 3,500 million dollars owed.