EU says gas supply from Russia to continue smoothly

BRUSSELS, July 1 (KUNA) - A top EU energy official Wednesday said that Europe is better prepared for any eventual problems with energy supplies and stressed that both the Russian gas deliveries to Ukraine but also transit to the EU are not endangered.
"There was clear commitment from the Ukrainian side and from Russia to make sure that gas transit to the EU will continue in a smooth, interrupted way." Maros Sefcovic, European Commission Commission's vice-president for energy union, told a press conference in Brussels.
He was speaking after EU -brokered talks with Russian energy minister Alexander Novak, and Ukrainian energy minister Vladimir Demchyshyn ended in Vienna last night without any agreement.
Russian energy giant Gazprom said today that it was halting all natural gas supplies to Ukraine after Kiev announced on Tuesday the suspension of Russian gas purchases.
"We will not relax until the situation is resolved and we will play the role of the mediator and honest broker until the end and therefore we will have another meeting in expert level by the end of August and in political level I hope still in September," said Sefcovic.
Russia and Norway together supply over half of the EU's gas and over 40% of its oil. Russian gas supplies to the EU transit via Ukraine. (end) nk.ajs