KIEV, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - The energy ministers of Ukraine, Russia and Slovakia could meet with the European Commission on Thursday to discuss the possibility of reversing gas flows from Europe back to Ukraine, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan said Wednesday.
"There is a suggestion today from the Russian side, and I think from the European [side] to hold according four-party or three-party meetings," Prodan said.
"Today we are looking at the question of a meeting in Bratislava between four ministers: the Slovakian minister, the Russian minister, [the European Commissar] and me," Prodan said, adding the meeting could be held on Thursday.
Last week, Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz began importing gas from Poland through a pipeline reversal after Russia canceled gas discounts for Ukraine. The annual capacity of the route, 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas, is insufficient to meet the country's demand.
To increase supplies, Ukraine is trying to negotiate a reverse gas flow through Slovakia, which according to Naftogaz could supply up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Prodan said that Slovakia is delaying the reversal and has offered to build a new pipeline instead of reversing supplies, at a cost of 20 million euros.
Ukraine currently owes Russian energy giant Gazprom $2.2 billion. Amid the current political standoff between Kiev and Moscow, Gazprom has cancelled two major gas discounts for Ukraine, bringing the price to $485 per thousand cubic meters starting April 1. The payments for March deliveries to Ukraine have still not been received.
Over the past five years, Russia has supplied Ukraine with nearly 150 billion cubic meters of gas. Ukraine has systematically delayed payments for the imports. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Ukraine owes Russia $17 billion in gas discounts, with another $18.4 billion incurred as a minimal take-or-pay fine.
