Gazprom denies new deal with Ukraine

Russian energy giant Gazprom denied it reached a new agreement to import gas into Ukraine, a Gazprom spokesman said yesterday afternoon (via Interfax). The spokesman said that negotiations over the weekend could lead to a revision, but there was still a long way to go toward a compromise. The announcement followed a statement by Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov who said yesterday Russia agreed to review its gas contracts, Reuters reported. Ukraine has been pressing Russian for months to revise a 2009 gas contract, which it believes places an undue burden on the Ukrainian economy. Azarov said the key piece of the new agreement was a consortium between Ukraine, the European Union and Russia to upgrade and manage Ukraine’s gas transportation system. Following a meeting this last Saturday, Presidents Viktor Yanukovych and Dmitry Medvedev noted “significant progress” in talks, but did not give details.