Moscow has agreed to the deployment of international monitors to oversee the transit of Russian gas to EU countries via Ukraine, clearing the way for the resumption of European gas supplies, the Czech EU presidency announced last night. Earlier, a senior Czech official said Russia's gas exporting monopoly, Gazprom, had baulked at a deal, insisting that Russian monitors be allowed inside Ukraine, which it claims is stealing gas piped to EU markets across its territory. The breakthrough came after talks between the Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolanek, and German and Russian leaders. "This deployment should lead to the Russian supplies of gas to EU member states being restored," the EU said. There was no mention of any timeframe for deploying monitoring teams, nor did it say when supplies might be restored.
Moscow has agreed to the deployment of international monitors to oversee the transit of Russian gas to EU countries via Ukraine, clearing the way for the resumption of European gas supplies, the Czech EU presidency announced last night.
Earlier, a senior Czech official said Russia's gas exporting monopoly, Gazprom, had baulked at a deal, insisting that Russian monitors be allowed inside Ukraine, which it claims is stealing gas piped to EU markets across its territory. The breakthrough came after talks between the Czech Prime Minister, Mirek Topolanek, and German and Russian leaders.
"This deployment should lead to the Russian supplies of gas to EU member states being restored," the EU said. There was no mention of any timeframe for deploying monitoring teams, nor did it say when supplies might be restored.
