Looks like Russia is not going to have it all its own way this winter, despite Gasprom having got its foot in the door in Britain already according to the FT. (subscription only)
The Jamestown Foundation reported yesteday that Ukraine is being dragged into debt by Gasprom and the (political) power vaccuum in Kiev.
more here and here
Today it reports that Turmenistan has broken with tradition and is asking for almost world prices for gas, thus undermining the winter Russian- Ukrainian deal. Depressing that none of the Ukrainian leaders are interested in the gas deal but Yulia, presumably because they are have a share of the deal and dont care about Ukraine.
On June 21, the government of Turkmenistan announced that it proposes to steeply raise the price of gas it sells to Gazprom: from $65 per 1,000 cubic meters at present to $100 in the second half of 2006. The volume of deliveries would remain constant at 30 billion cubic meters. Turkmenistan is giving Russia six weeks to sign a sale-purchase contract for the remainder of 2006 at the Turkmen-proposed price. Failing that, "Turkmenistan will stop the supplies," according to Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources Minister, Gurbanmyrat Atayev, quoted by the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs communiqué. Atayev confirmed the six-week deadline and stoppage threat in a meeting with a European Parliament delegation the same day in Ashgabat.more
There are some talks of the EU sitting in with Ukraine on any next negotiations for gas. I'd love to be a fly on the wall. And who would they choose? Someone from Ruhrgas or Winterhill, who are already in bed with Gasprom?
