EU seeks gas supply return after deal on monitors

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Europe on Friday looked for a swift restoration of gas supplies, after striking a deal with Moscow on monitoring gas shipments via Ukraine that have been halted by a rancorous pricing dispute with Kiev.

Diplomats in Prague said the European Union would send monitors to Ukraine on Friday to be deployed at the main metering stations for gas arriving from Russia.

The Czech EU presidency said in a statement late on Thursday the monitors agreement “should lead to the Russian supplies of gas to EU member states being restored.” Czech officials, however, declined to give any details of the deal.

The apparent breakthrough came after talks between Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Nevertheless, Russia and Ukraine have yet to agree a price for Russian gas deliveries, subsidized since Soviet times, and Putin on Thursday again demanded Kiev pay the going market rate.

Reuters