You're reading: Prodan: Ukraine sends proposals to EC to settle issues with Gazprom

Ukraine has sent its proposals on settling the gas conflict it is in with Russia's Gazprom, as well as options for paying existing gas debt, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan told journalists on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

“We’ve sent not only our proposals on the gas schedule, but also all our proposals linked to settling the situation with Gazprom. […] We sent them late on Monday [Oct. 6],” he said.

Asked about Gazprom’s statement that the Russian monopolist was expecting Ukraine to comment on the issue of paying its gas debt by noon, Oct. 8, the minister said that Ukraine was not obligated to send its proposals.

“We’re sending them to the European Commission, and it is likely that the European Commission will agree on them with Russia. We’ve sent them to the European Commission,” he said.

Prodan added that the date for two-sided talks between Ukraine and Russia, as well as three-sided talks with the EC had not yet been determined.

Asked when the next round of two- and three-sided talks might occur, he said: “The date isn’t clear yet.”

As reported, Russia and Ukraine agreed on settling $3.1 billion in debt for previous gas supplies by the end of the year, though the payment schedule for this is still not clear. Moscow insists that payments begin before gas shipments are renewed.