Ukraine warned on Saturday the European Union (EU) that the bloc could face serious gas shortfall in around 10 days if the gas row between Russia and Ukraine is not resolved.
"If the Russian side does not provide more gas (to EU member states) than at the moment, then in around 10 days there could be very serious technical problems," President Viktor Yushchenko's representative on energy security Bogdan Sokolovski told a news conference.
"The transit of gas may be disrupted at some point," said Sokolovski, noting that it will not be Ukraine's fault.
Russia's state gas monopoly Gazprom cut off supplies to Ukraine earlier Thursday after the two sides failed to agree on terms for a 2009 contract amid conflicts over a new price and gas transit fees.
On Friday, Gazprom accused Ukraine of "stealing" gas in transit. Ukrainian officials denied the accusation, saying that Russia is not delivering the due quantities to European clients.
Meanwhile, gas importers in Romania, Hungary and Poland said pressure on their pipelines had dropped. But other EU member states like Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic had not been affected by the dispute.
Around a quarter of the gas used in the EU -- more than 40 percent of the bloc's imports -- comes from Russia, and Ukraine sits on the main transit route for gas exports, accounting for 80 percent of the continent's gas supply from Russia.
In 2006, a dispute over gas prices between Kiev and Moscow sent jitters among European customers after Gazprom cut all gas supplies to Ukraine.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article