Ukraine lacks sufficient gas for winter: PM
23/10/2014
Kiev: Ukraine`s Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk Wednesday said his country lacks sufficient natural gas for winter.
"We need an additional five billion cubic metres of gas, which we can buy from Russia," Xinhua quoted Yatsenyuk as telling a cabinet meeting.
If Ukraine and Russia fail to reach an agreement on gas deliveries, Kiev will seek ways to increase its reverse gas supplies from the European market and will strive to replace gas with heating oil, Yatsenyuk said.
As of mid-October, Ukraine has accumulated some 17 billion cubic metres of gas in its storage facilities, he added.
The state-run Naftogaz estimated that Ukraine`s gas needs will stand at 26 billion cubic metres during the heating season, which would last till April 2015.
Ukraine and Russia have been embroiled in a standoff on gas pricing for a few months.
In June, Russia cut off all gas supplies to Ukraine as the two sides failed to reach an agreement on payment. The next round of gas talks between the two ex-Soviet neighbours will be held Oct 29 in Brussels.
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