Supplied energy resources are to be paid for regardless of politics, Russian PM

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has pointed out there should be no linkage between political issues and the customers’ obligation to pay for energy resources consumed.

“I would like to say a very simple idea. Supplied energy resources are to be paid for,” Medvedev told the 14th ministerial meeting of the International Energy Forum. “I do hope that all countries and all consumers, both those present at and absent from this meeting, including Ukraine, which has been mentioned (in relation with the crisis) are aware of this.”

“Generally speaking, payments should not be linked with politics in any way,” Medvedev said.

Earlier he said that Russia is ready to resume the talks with Ukraine on the terms of gas supplies and the price of gas after Kiev has paid a part of its debt for the previous supplies. 

Medvedev instructed Gazprom to start supplying gas to Ukraine on a prepaid basis from May 13.“We are ready to discuss how to deal with this problem and we are ready to discuss how to support the life of people in Ukraine,” Medvedev said.

“Gazprom has a right to do what has been repeatedly discussed, namely to switch over to advance payments for Ukrainian consumers and Ukraine under the contract,” Medvedev said on Monday, May 12. “I think it’s high time we stopped dandling about. Notify them and move on to advance payments starting tomorrow,” he said at a meeting with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and Energy Minister Alexander Novak.