A $7bn bill that Russia’s Gazprom slapped on Ukraine for failing to import agreed amounts of gas last year has piled pressure on Kyiv’s finances ahead of crucial talks this week with the International Monetary Fund on a new multi-billion dollar bailout.
As the Financial Times revealed on Friday, Ukraine received the bill for importing less than what Gazprom says it was obliged to under its 2009 contract just as it signed a $10bn gas exploration agreement with Royal Dutch Shell.
