Reuters: Russia presses Ukraine on gas debts

Published Feb. 8, 2014 at 5:44 pm

A woman brings food to opposition demonstrator standing near a barricade in Kiev on February 8, 2014. Ukraine's embattled President Viktor Yanukovych returned to protest-hit Kiev on Saturday after holding talks with his Russian counterpart and ally Vladimir Putin about a suspended Moscow bailout loan. The chat late Friday on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi came amid intensifying pressure from the opposition on Yanukovych to cede some of his broad powers and appoint a new pro-Western government. AFP PHOTO / MARTIN BUREAU

Photo by AFP

(Reuters) - Russia increased economic pressure on Ukraine on Saturday by drawing a link between disbursement of the next tranche of its $15 billion aid package to Kiev with repayment of a hefty gas bill owed to Russian firms.

The linkage, made in comments by Russia's finance minister, came as the Kremlin confirmed President Vladimir Putin had held private talks with Ukraine's leader Viktor Yanukovich in Sochi on Friday before the opening of the Winter Olympics.

No details of the leaders' talks were disclosed.

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