By Olga Razumovskaya
MOSCOW--Russia may force Ukraine to pay for gas that it supplies
to it in advance, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said
Tuesday, Interfax reported.
The comments come after a statement by Russian gas giant OAO
Gazprom's (GAZP.RS) Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller in which
he expressed his concerns over Ukraine not having paid $882 million
for the gas that had been supplied in August.
Mr. Miller called the situation "quite grave."
The failure to secure a cheaper price for gas by Ukraine has put
a strain on the country's finances, as the government supports
Naftogaz, which sells gas to households below the price it pays to
Gazprom.
The trade pressure on Ukraine is mounting as Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych wants to sign a free-trade and
political-association deal with the European Union at the end of
November.
Agency website: www.interfax.ru
Write to Olga Razumovskaya at olga.razumovskaya@wsj.com
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