FINANCIAL TIMES: …But after 30 hours of negotiations in Brussels, Moscow signed a deal with Kiev to guarantee supplies until March. “There is now no reason for people in Europe to stay cold this winter,” said José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission.
According to the terms of the accord, Kiev will make prepayments of $1.5bn for 4bn cubic metres over the winter. It will also pay off $3.1bn of debt owed to Gazprom, Russia’s gas export monopoly.
“In a crisis situation, a situation where trust had been lost, in such a warlike situation, we were able to act wisely,” said Günther Oettinger, the EU’s energy commissioner. “It is a first glimmer of a thaw between the two countries.” … (more)
EDITOR: Three guesses from where Ukraine is obtaining the $3.1 billion to pay down Russian debt. Hint: EU and possibly USA.
