Ukraine to put an end to its gas dependency on Russia — PM

BERLIN, August 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Germany has urged Ukraine not to block Russian gas and oil supplies to Europe.

“The federal government hopes that Ukraine is not going to implement a measure which Prime Minister (Arseniy) Yatsenyuk announced on Friday,” German government’s spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on Monday.

Yatsenyuk said that Ukraine may impose sanctions on 172 Russians and 65 firms, mostly Russian, as well as ban Russian transit, including the transit of gas, through the country. He also said that Ukraine had no choice but to put an end to Ukraine's gas dependence on Russia.

Russian companies, which will not be included in a possible Ukrainian list, will be cleared to carry out gas transit through the country to the EU, Turkey and Moldova, if they conclude direct agreements with Ukrainian state-owned gas company Naftogaz, according to the company’s statement released Monday.

“Naftogaz of Ukraine insists on being a reliable partner in natural gas transportation to the EU. The company affirms its readiness to further conduct flawless supplies of natural gas to European consumers,” CEO Andriy Kobolev said.