Ukraine may start to get shale gas from US

Photo: AP photo

Ukraine may start to get shale gas from US. 52957.jpeg

The introduction of prepayment system for gas for Ukraine is the only possible move, the head of the State Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs, Alexei Pushkov said. The MP believes that Russia should have acted so a month ago.

"Let Yatsenuk get shale gas from the United States," Pushkov wrote on his Twitter today, June 16.

Earlier, the MP called for the cessation of gas talks with Kiev after the Russian embassy was attacked by radicals, and a crew of TV channel Zvezda was detained in the east of Ukraine.

"I believe that Russia should move to sanctions against Ukraine. In my opinion, it's time all negotiations on the gas issue should be stopped. I consider the talks in Kiev  inappropriate at the time when the Russian embassy in Kiev is attacked, ​​the government is silent about it, the police is idle, and Ukraine's Foreign Minister offends the Russian president. What negotiations? These negotiations must be stopped, and so must gas supplies to Ukraine," he said in a June 15 interview with Russia 24 TV channel.

Kiev was supposed to pay $1.951 billion for Russian gas before 10:00 MSK on June 16, but has not transferred the necessary amount. In this connection, Gazprom introduced the prepayment system for Naftogaz Ukraine.

"The decision was made due to chronic non-payment from Naftogaz of Ukraine. The arrears of the company for supplied Russian gas makes up $4,458 billion: $1.451 billion in November-December of 2013 and 3.007 billion in April-May of 2014," a statement from Russia's Gazprom said, ITAR-TASS reports. During the recent several weeks, nine rounds of talks have been held on the gas issue, but the last one of them has not led to any progress.

On June 16, Gazprom's administration filed a lawsuit at the Stockholm International Court of Arbitration against Naftogaz of Ukraine to collect the debt of $4.5 billion from the Ukrainian gas company. A message from the Russian company said that Naftogaz of Ukraine failed to execute its obligations under the contract signed in 2009.