The situation in Ukraine's energy sector remains extremely difficult, but the government is controlling it. There are currently 16.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas in Ukraine's underground storage facilities.
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk said this at a government meeting on Wednesday, reports GHN based on Ukrinform.
"Natural gas supplies began under a contract between Naftogaz of Ukraine and one of the world's largest energy operators, Norwegian company Statoil," he said, recalling that reverse supplies were launched from October 1.
Yatseniuk said that there were 16.7 billion cubic meters of gas Ukrainian gas storage facilities, but in order to pass the winter Ukraine must purchase an additional about five billion cubic meters.
He noted that there are two options to resolve this problem. The first option is an interim agreement: "We, along with the European Union, are conducting a common energy policy with a view to signing an interim agreement for the supply of natural gas, while the Stockholm arbitration court finally decides the dispute between Naftogaz and Gazprom."
"The second option - if such an agreement is not reached as part of the trilateral format, where Ukraine and the EU have a common position, and the third party is the Russian Federation, Ukraine turned to the court to get a temporary decision that would set a proper price and terms of delivery of such natural gas until a final verdict by the Stockholm court is issued," he said.