You're reading: Peskov: Dialogue on gas with Ukraine depends on Europe’s reaction to Putin’s letter

The Russian president's press officer Dmitry Peskov said a decision on when Russia may begin charging Ukraine advance payments for gas supplies lies in the area of responsibility of Gazprom.

“This question should be asked of Gazprom. Gazprom is a party to this contract,” Peskov told reporters.

Peskov said the prospects of Russian-Ukrainian dialogue on the issue
of payments for gas will depend on the reaction of the people to whom
Putin’s letter was addressed. “We currently can’t say in what form it
[the dialogue] will be conducted,” Peskov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier sent a letter to the leaders
of some European countries receiving Russian gas through Ukraine a
letter stating that Gazprom will not set Ukraine conditions for gas
payments in addition to the conditions stated in the contract signed in
2009, but Russia cannot subsidize the Ukrainian economy, forgiving its
debts, alone, and Gazprom will have to introduce advance payments for
gas now that Ukraine is not making payments.