Kiev - Russia and Ukraine will sign an agreement Monday on the conditions for deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine and gas transit to Europe, the Ukrainian government said Sunday.
"Ukraine and Russia will sign documents Monday on the conditions for deliveries of Russian gas to Ukraine and its transit toward European countries," Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's government said in a statement.
The statement said that after five hours of overnight negotiations between Tymoshenko and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, "the heads of (Ukrainian and Russian state energy firms) Naftogaz and Gazprom were ordered to prepare by Monday all the documents necessary and to finalise them in accordance with previous agreements."
"As soon as these documents are signed the transit (of gas to Europe) will resume," the statement said.
Putin and Tymoshenkop announced the gas deal early on Sunday and said it would shortly allow a resumption of supplies to Europe, where the dispute has caused millions of people to experience reductions or complete cut-offs of heating.
Under the terms of the deal, Ukraine agreed to shift to full European prices for Russian gas in 2010 and will get a 20% discount relative to the European price this year, as long as it keeps the tariffs it charges for the transit of Russian gas to Europe at the 2008 level.
Naftogaz spokesperson Valentin Zemlyansky said on Sunday that "no information" on the deal would be available until Monday.
Asked what "European prices" the deal referred to, he replied: "It will be interesting to see what this will be."
Russia cut off supplies to Ukraine's domestic market on New Year's Day, blaming Kiev for failing to agree higher gas prices in a new contract for 2009 and not paying off its debts.
Supplies to Europe were subsequently cut off after Russia accused Ukraine of illegally siphoning off gas for its domestic market - a charge vehemently denied by Kiev.
- AFP