Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz has asked Russia's
Gazprom to reduce natural gas supplies to the country from the
contracted 40 billion cu m to 33 billion this year, a presidential
energy aide said on Thursday.
The debt-laden company wants changes to the January 19 deal that led to
the restart of gas supplies to Europe and Ukraine, which Gazprom
suspended on January 1 over a gas pricing and debt dispute with its
former Soviet neighbor.
Naftogaz cited a clause in the contract that allows it to increase or reduce by 20% the amount of gas it buys.
Bohdan Sokolovskiy acknowledged that changes to the contract should be
agreed at least six months ahead of the start of a year, but stressed
the deal signed on January 19 was far form ideal and had been signed
without any specialist consideration.
Gazprom said on Thursday it had received the request from Naftogaz.
Earlier this month, Naftogaz warned it might face problems paying for
gas supplied by the Russian gas monopoly as Ukrainian utility companies
were delaying payments leaving the state-run gas firm short of funds.
Russian media reports said, citing sources in Gazprom that the monopoly
could again cut off Ukraine if $400 million was not transferred by
March 7.
