Russia Tight-Lipped on Ukraine Gas Deal
Russia cannot confirm that it has reached a natural gas supply deal with Ukraine.
A spokesman for President Vladimir Putin said the government won't discuss details of a deal.
Dmitry Peskov rebuffed questions that the two governments have agreed to leave Ukraine out of a regional customs union, consisting of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Moscow had previously insisted that Kiev join this union as a prerequisite for future gas contracts.
"At the moment we cannot officially confirm that there is an agreement," Peskov told news agencies. "In case such an agreement is recorded by the two sides, we will naturally announce this immediately."
Ukraine has been trying to renegotiate a gas supply deal from 2009 natural gas deal, saying prices are too high.
Meanwhile, Ukraine says it is negotiating with Turkey about tankers with liquefied natural gas (LNG) passing through the Bosporus Strait.
Prime Minister Mykola Azarov made the comment during a meeting with the US State Department’s Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, Ambassador Carlos Pascual.
"We have problems with the construction of a terminal for receiving liquefied natural gas. The problems are related to the fact that Turkey [is] reluctantly considering passage of oil tankers with liquefied gas through its straits," Azarov said.
He added that Ukraine is examining the possibility of supplying itself with gas through regasifying terminals.
See also: Gas as an Instrument of Russian Pressure on Ukraine