EU likely to help Ukraine repay gas debts - Faymann

VIENNA, Oct 29 (KUNA) -- Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said Wednesday he can imagine EU interim aid for Ukraine to pay its gas debts to Russia. Commenting on the suggestion made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Faymann said that the amount of aid would still have to be negotiated. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had already granted certain amounts for Ukraine to pay for older bills. However, there was a question of the coming winter; that was also important for Austrians, said Faymann.
Austria's gas reservoirs were filled, but "we also experienced once before that the gas did not flow through, and that worried us as well," said Faymann.
Ukraine would of course have to prove that it could afford the advance gas payments. "That will be negotiated." The gas supply needed to be secure in winter, he added. (end) amg.gb