You're reading: Oettinger: Ukraine to prepay $385 per thousand cubic meters of Russian gas in winter

The European Commission, Russia and Ukraine agreed at the Brussels round of negotiations on Oct. 21 that Russia would be selling gas to Ukraine until March at a price of $385 per thousand cubic meters on the prepayment terms and without 'take or pay' obligations, European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said at a press briefing on Oct. 22.

Oettinger said that the price of $385 per thousand cubic meters which both sides accepted at the Milan meeting would be paid in the period until late March as guaranteed by the Russian partners. The price cannot be changed unilaterally by a decision of the government or the parliament due to an increased export duty, he said. Secondly, the ‘take or pay’ obligation will not apply to gas deliveries until March as an exception made in the ongoing gas contract, which means that Ukraine will decide whether to request gas supplies. The deliveries will be made on the prepay conditions, the commissioner said.

Oettinger said that the winter package deal could be formalized by two agreements, between the governments and between commercial entities.