Ukraine lacks sufficient gas for winter

KIEV - Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said Wednesday that his country lacks sufficient natural gas for winter.

"We need an additional five billion cubic meters of gas, which we can buy from Russia," Yatsenyuk told a cabinet meeting.

If Ukraine and Russia fail to reach an agreement on gas deliveries, Kiev will seek ways to increase its reverse gas supplies from the European market and will strive to replace gas with heating oil, Yatsenyuk said.

As of mid-October, Ukraine has accumulated some 17 billion cubic meters of gas in its storage facilities, he said.

The state-run Naftogaz estimated that Ukraine's gas needs will stand at 26 billion cubic meters during the heating season, which lasts from October 2014 through April 2015.

Ukraine and Russia have been embroiled in a standoff on gas pricing for a few months.

In June, Russia cut off all gas supplies to Ukraine as the two sides failed to reach an agreement on payments. The next round of gas talks between the two ex-Soviet neighbors will be held on Oct 29 in Brussels.

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