Dmitry Medvedev gave a positive assessment of the Gazprom suggestion to supply gas to Ukraine only after pre-payment. The management board of Gazprom appealed to the Prime Minister with a proposal to revise the existing contract and to sign an additional agreement. Now, the gas will be delivered only in the pre-payment mode and under the condition of paid off debts. The head of the government highlighted the importance of the issue and ordered to "collect 100% of natural gas repayments." I think everyone should realize that there will be no such all-encompassing forgiveness of debt, no ‘gas communism’ in the future,” Medvedev said. At the same time, new legislation will be designed to stop “manipulations and criminal schemes" used to delay payments for gas supplies. Press Secretary of the RF President Dmitry Peskov commented the Prime Minister statement and noted that such innovations were not connected with Ukraine’s intention to sign a free trade pact with the EU. "But it is clear that there is a need to strictly define our position, and most importantly, a time when the debts must be paid back," - Peskov summarized. Kiev took the news calmly and said that the debt volume is not "critical". As the Ukrainian Prime Minister thinks, “this primarily is a question concerning two companies”. Let us remind that recently, head of the Board of Directors of Gazprom Alexei Miller announced an overdue gas tab for August. Up to date, Ukraine has owed $882 million.
