No Reason to Revise Gas Deal With Ukraine in April: Russian Energy Minister

Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak noted that there is no reason to sign a new deal on gas deliveries to Ukraine after the previous agreement expires at the end of March.

MOSCOW, January 14 (Sputnik) — Russia sees no reason to reach a new agreement on gas deliveries to Ukraine after the so-called 'winter package' deal expires at the end of March, as all the terms are already outlined in the existing contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said Wednesday.

"We are talking about current deliveries schedule and the financing regime, in other words — about conditions that have been, in one way or another, stipulated in the existing contract [betwen Rusia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz]," Novak said following talks Maros Sefcovic, the Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the Energy Union.

"So far, we see no reason to sign a new document," Novak said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sefcovic told RIA Novosti it was important that Russia and Ukraine agree on gas deliveries during the forthcoming summer and beyond as soon as possible. The European official also said that the European Commission and he personally could help to facilitate reaching such an agreement.

In December 2014, Russia resumed gas deliveries to Ukraine after Kiev repaid $3.1 billion of its gas debt. Gazprom expects advance payments from Ukraine for gas supplies in the future.