REUTERS
Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom has announced that it will not apply the "take or pay" rule to gas supplies to Ukraine in the period from October 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016, according to Gazprom's Information and Communications Department.
It is reported that on September 24, Gazprom sent a letter signed of Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller to National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine. In its letter, Gazprom is said to have confirmed that it will not apply the "take or pay" provision of the gas sale contract signed on January 19, 2009 concerning Russian gas shipments to Ukraine in the period from October 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. Gazprom will retain all its rights under this contract, as noted in the statement.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on June 26, Miller said that Gazprom would claim $26.7 billion in penalty from Naftogaz for buying less gas than the contracted amount.
"As for the 'take or pay' provision [sealed by the 2009 contract], we have already announced the period of exemption [from this rule] for our Ukrainian partners. But if we talk about the year 2014 <...>, strictly in accordance with the contract, we have penalized our Ukrainian colleagues – the total outstanding amount of the penalty for Naftogaz under the "take or pay" provision is $26.7 billion," the report quoted Miller as saying.