| Gas supplies to Europe will resume "shortly" now Russia and Ukraine have clinched a deal to resolve their energy crisis in talks in Moscow, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says.
"Shortly the gas transit - as the Ukrainian side assures us - will be resumed," Mr Putin said in comments shown live on Vesti-24 television following marathon negotiations with his Ukrainian counterpart, Yulia Tymoshenko.
Ms Tymoshenko said the Russian and Ukrainian energy companies had to draw up agreements by Monday and "immediately after those documents on transit and gas prices are signed, all transit of gas to Europe will be resumed".
"The talks were not easy but we have reached a mutual understanding that allows us to sign agreements," she said.
The agreement came after the European Union piled pressure on Russia and Ukraine, calling for an immediate resumption of supplies, warning that it could review its relations with both countries unless a deal was struck this weekend.
Under the terms of the deal, Russia would grant Ukraine a 20 per cent discount on Russian gas imports for 2009 as long as Ukraine keeps its tariffs for the transit of Russian gas to Europe at the 2008 level, Mr Putin said.
"Starting from January 1, 2010, Ukraine and Russia will shift to European prices on gas and gas transit," he said, without giving any further details on prices that have been the subject of heated debate between Moscow and Kiev.
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From ABC News
Published January 18, 2009 | 
