YALTA, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine have failed to agree on new terms for supplies of Russian gas, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Yanukovych, who sought to negotiate a lower gas price.
"There are issues where we have not reached an agreement but … we will aspire to do that," Putin told reporters when asked about the gas issue.
Kiev, which depends heavily on energy imports, has long wanted to revise a 2009 gas deal with Moscow, which it argues set an exorbitant price for the fuel.
But talks, including those between Yanukovych and Dmitry Medvedev, who was president tat the time, also failed to yield a breakthrough.
"We must find a solution," Yanukovych's office quoted him as saying Wednesday. "I think we will manage to do so."
Moscow insists that in order to get a discount, Ukraine must either let Gazprom take over its gas pipelines — which carry Russian gas to Europe — or join a Russia-led Customs Union, a post-Soviet trade bloc.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
