As Gazprom & Naftogaz sue each other, #Ukraine says it can last until December without Russian gas, Interfax Ukraine reports
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) June 16, 2014
On the bright side, its the beginning of summer. There are worse times to have a gas war.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) June 16, 2014
#Ukraine Defense Ministry reports 50 militants killed in #Kramatorsk and #Druzhkivka, no losses in special forces http://t.co/IBr09afsyH
— Kyiv Post (@KyivPost) June 16, 2014
Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said that since Ukraine had paid nothing toward its overdue gas bill by an 9 a.m. (Kyiv time) deadline, Moscow had no legal imperative to supply gas to Kyiv.
Kupriyanov said Ukraine now has an obligation to ensure that gas intended for European customers flows unimpeded.
Gazprom also said it has filed a lawsuit against Ukraine in a Stockholm arbitration court to recover $4.5 billion in debt.
EU-brokered talks in Kyiv yesterday failed to reach an agreement on almost $2 billion in gas debt.
The European Commission said in a statement today that, during the talks in Kyiv, Ukraine was ready to accept a compromise of paying $1 billion now and more later, but Russia was not.
EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said he was aiming to arrange further talks later this month and urged Moscow to reconsider a compromise offer, perhaps with small adjustments.
RT @UkrProgress 1/2 @JohnKerry expressed his concern over recent events in a phone call with Foreign Minister #Lavrov
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) June 16, 2014
RT @UkrProgress 2/2 @John Kerry: #Russia must deescalate, cooperate with #Ukraine and halt the supply of weapons
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) June 16, 2014
RT @UkrProgress: In phone call with #Yatsenyuk, @JohnKerry expressed his condolences for those killed when plane shot down by separatists
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) June 16, 2014
RT @UkrProgress: @JohnKerry expressed concern that the heavy weaponry from #Russia continued to flow across the border
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) June 16, 2014
RT @UkrProgress: @JohnKerry supports the efforts of #Ukraine to defend its border and the peace plan of #Poroshenko
— Geoffrey Pyatt (@GeoffPyatt) June 16, 2014
Russia Today: How #Ukraine gas crisis will effect Europe in one simple graphic http://t.co/OaHOCncgZh pic.twitter.com/Bc2Lm8Old0
— Daniel Brössler (@dbroessler) June 16, 2014
which quickly became an internet meme.
Gazprom moves this morning to "prepayment" regime for Ukrainian gas, spelling a gas cutoff...
— Michael Birnbaum (@michaelbirnbaum) June 16, 2014
A Gazprom statement on June 16 said Kyiv would now have to pay up front. It said Ukraine had also failed to pay for June deliveries, suggesting supplies could now be cut.
Such a stoppage could also disrupt the gas flow to European countries.
President Vladimir Putin had threatened to cut deliveries today unless Kyiv pays $1.95 billion in gas debts by 9 a.m. Kyiv time.
A statement from the European Commission says a plan envisioned by EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger had Ukraine prepared to pay $1 billion on June 16, with the remainder paid in installments by the end of 2014.
The EU plan would also see Kyiv paying a "winter" price of $385 per 1,000 cubic meters for gas and a "summer" price of around $300.
Putin has said $385 is his final offer.
The European Commission said it is "convinced that a solution is still possible."
Accord to UKR source,pro-RUS forces have 2 more "Grad" rocket launcher units in East Ukraine http://t.co/vhth6OkGRy pic.twitter.com/jKGKmHbIX5
— Ryskeldi Satke (@RyskeldiSatke) June 16, 2014