Alexei Miller’s Comments Following an Agreement Between Russia and the EU to Create an International Monitoring Committee

·         "Deliveries of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory must begin as soon as possible, but now everything depends on Ukraine.” 

·         Miller said that today's meeting between prime ministers of Russia and the Czech Republic is very important in terms of its results, because its outcome was the signing of a document that created a mechanism to monitor the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory.

·         He said that the signing of this document is a very timely step when Ukraine has blocked the supply of Russian gas to Europe.  

·         "Our position is that this mechanism should begin working as quickly as possible. And today we can all say that we are ready for this work. One small detail remains- Ukraine must sign this document. The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic had already left for Kiev. Let’s hope that we will have good news from Kiev today," Miller said.

·         He noted that the committee’s main task is to ensure that Russian gas gets to the western border of Ukraine. He noted that the document signed today specified that the information collected by the committee will be sent to Brussels, Moscow and Kiev.  

·         He said that Alexander Medvedev and other experts from Gazprom will be part of the committee. Miller stressed that the signed document also provides for the full disclosure of the collected data to the press.

·         "If [through the analysis provided by the committee] we see that Ukraine is stealing Russian gas…we will cut gas supplies to Ukraine by that amount.” 

·         He also noted that Russia was prepared to allow monitors at its pumping stations.

·         Once the monitoring committee ensures that there is no more theft of Russian gas on Ukrainian territory, Gazprom will quickly restore supplies.

·         Gazprom has prepared everything for the speedy start of work by the international monitoring committee to monitor the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. “Our airplanes are ready to quickly fly experts to the designated locations.”