Naftogaz Seeks For Loan To Clear Gazprom Debt

"We are conducting negotiations with a number of banks to clear the debt," RIA News cites Oleh Dubyna saying after a meeting with Gazprom chief Alexei Miller in Moscow.

A senior EU official said earlier on Tuesday the European Union is concerned by the deepening disagreements between Russia and Ukraine over Kiev's gas debt, but has no plans to intervene.

Gunnar Wiegand, head of the European Commission's Unit for Relations with Russia, said the matter was not part of the commission's remit, since it involved a commercial dispute between companies of third countries.

He expressed hope that the parties would settle their disagreements and that no problems would arise with Russian gas supplies to Europe.

Alexander Medvedev, Gazprom's deputy chief executive, told the Financial Times on Monday that talks with Ukraine were "far away from a settlement," and said the country should not be allowed to "steal the gas."

The paper said Gazprom is heading for a confrontation with Ukraine over unpaid debts and future prices that "could disrupt gas supplies to the European Union."

Author: Ksenia Kochneva