Russia ready to renew gas talks with Kiev

Russia said it was ready to renew gas talks with Kiev, but only if it paid its debts, in a possible offer of dialogue after the two nations’ leaders said they had discussed steps towards peace in eastern Ukraine.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, responding to a Ukrainian proposal to pay seasonal prices for Russian gas, said Moscow would resume supplies only if Kiev paid down its “astronomical debts” and named a gas price well over that previously cited by Kiev.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Prime Minister ArsenyYatseniuk proposed paying Moscow $385 per 1,000 cubic meters during the winter, and $300 in the low, summer season.

This price was dismissed by Medvedev, who said Ukraine should pay an average gas price of over $385 per 1,000 cubic meters – above the average price of $340 cited by Yatseniuk.

Russia cut off its exports to Ukraine in July in a dispute over pricing. Commenting on his country’s energy woes, Yatseniuk said Ukraine needed to buy some 25 billion cubic metres of natural gas to meet its annual needs.