Gazprom OJSC board chairman Aleksey Miller met with board chairman of German energy concern E.ON Ruhrgas AG Bernhard Reutersberg within Saint Petersburg international economic forum. German side expressed anxiety concerning capability of Ukraine to provide uninterrupted gas supplies to Europe, press-service of the Russian gas holding said, RIA Novosti reported.
"Colleagues from E.ON Ruhrgas expressed anxiety concerning capability of Ukraine to pay for Russian gas in time, as well as provide uninterrupted transit of hydrocarbon to Europe. We understand why problems of Naftogaz turned out to be problems of European scale given monopoly position of this country in transportation of blue fuel from Russia, Miller said.
Both sides agreed during discussion of the situation that guarantee of reliable energy provision of Europeans requires immediate designing of plan on interaction of all participants of market - supplier, transitory country, consumers
"Search for financing sources for payment of gas used by Ukraine and gas necessary to pump in underground depositories, as well as for modernization of Ukrainian gas transportation system refer to tasks within such a plan requiring realization shortly. Long-term plans include stirring up of work of Russia and EU on realization of North Stream and South Stream projects that will be able to provide uninterrupted natural gas supplies within ten years. There will be guarantee for no conflicts between participants of energy business," Miller said.
Russian authorities repeatedly warned that problems with payment for gas by Ukraine can promote halt of gas transit to Europe by late June. Ukraine paid current consumption in time in 2009. There is doubt in capability to find funds for gas pumping in underground depositories. Keeping of gas reserves in underground depositories is necessary for transit to Europe.
The Ukrainian government and Naftogaz applied to the Russian side with request to grant loan in the amount of $4.2 billion to buy roughly 19.5 billion cubic meters of gas for further pumping in underground gas depositories. Moscow is not ready for giving this loan alone and calls Europe for creation for the international pool of creditors.
Head of European commission decided to direct commission on establishment of facts concerning gas supplies to Moscow and Kiev, official representative of the European commission Johannes Leitenberger said on June 5. Barrozo will prepare report on situation concerning gas supplies by Brussels's summit on June 17-18 upon analyses that experts will submit as a result of trips to Russia and Ukraine, he said.