You're reading: The National: Ukraine left to negotiate Gazprom’s $7 billion gas bill

Russia's Gazprom sent Ukraine's state-run energy company a US$7 billion (Dh25.71bn) bill for failing to import agreed natural-gas volumes last year, in an echo of a conflict that has twice disrupted shipments to European customers.

The demand comes as Ukraine seeks to curb dependence on Russian fuel imports by sourcing gas from other producers and developing its own resources. Royal Dutch Shell, Europe’s largest oil company, last week signed a deal to develop Ukrainian shale.

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