President Victor Yushchenko held phone talks with the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.
During the conversation President Yushchenko expressed utmost concerns about the situation with Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Europe.
Victor Yushchenko emphasized that wishing to provide uninterrupted supplies of gas to European consumers, Ukrainian side applied all measures possible to normalize the situation. He called upon Russian side to renew supplies of gas for European countries and assured that Ukraine is ready to do all that is necessary for providing transit of this gas. He also explained that by such a proposal Ukraine shows good will to provide transit of gas to Europe even before any bilateral agreements on gas supplies were reached between Ukraine and Russia.
Beside that President Yushchenko suggested calling up a commission of representatives from Ukraine, Russia and European countries to analyze causes for the crisis and elaborate recommendations on immediate return to normal procedure.
He emphasized that on December 30 Ukraine fully paid for Russian gas consumed in 2008 and since January 1, 2009 has been consuming gas of its own extraction and out of reserves in underground storages. Therefore Ukraine met its engagements with Russian side.
Victor Yushchenko called upon Russian side to return to constructive talks and stressed that Ukraine considers that these talks should be agreements between the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia of February 12, 2008 and mutual obligations fixed in Intergovernmental Memorandum on cooperation in gas field of October 2, 2008.
