On March 20, Ukraine, the European Union and Russia plan to negotiate Gazprom’s natural gas deliveries to Ukraine after March 31, when the “winter package,” which was agreed upon at trilateral talks last October, expires (Eurointegration.com.ua, March 17). Russia says there is no need for a new agreement, suggesting Ukraine should simply adhere to the ten-year contract concluded in 2009. However, Ukraine insists on a new temporary agreement with better conditions—a “summer package”—in anticipation of a ruling, which Kyiv hopes will go in its favor, on the 2009 contract that is expected from the Stockholm arbitration court some time later …read more
Source: The Jamestown Foundation