You're reading: Foreign Ministry: Russia ready for litigation with Ukraine over gas deal

Moscow has confirmed that it will defend its position in the dispute over its gas supply agreement with Ukraine in any court.

"The choice in favor of litigation, if Ukraine makes it, wouldn’t be our choice. As the president’s press secretary, Ms Timakova, said, we will defend our position in any court," the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, said at a press conference in Moscow on Sept.15.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Natalia Timakova said on Sept. 3 that the Russia-Ukraine gas agreement must be fulfilled unconditionally and must not be reviewed unilaterally.

"Russia is prepared to defend its position on this treaty in any court, and it will act in strict compliance with the provisions of this document," she said.

Ukraine will initiate court hearings on breaking its the gas accord with Russia, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said in late August. Other Ukrainian leaders repeated this statement over the next few days.