By RIA Novosti
Kiev : Ukrainian oil and gas company Naftogaz pledged on Thursday to pay its natural gas debt to Russian energy giant Gazprom, but did not specify a date.
“The debt will be repaid after paperwork is completed, within timeframes to be discussed at negotiations with Gazprom,” spokesman Valentin Zemlyansky told RIA Novosti.
Gazprom halved gas supplies to Ukraine on Tuesday over the country’s debt, believed to be around $600 million, but resumed deliveries on Wednesday after an agreement was reached.
The row sparked fears in Europe that gas transit via Ukraine would be interrupted, as happened during a similar dispute at the start of 2006. Around a quarter of the European Union’s gas needs are met by supplies pumped from Russia via Ukraine.