OREANDA-NEWS.Russia and Ukraine began negotiations on gas in Vienna as part of the agreements already reached on December 20. This was reported to reporters by a representative of Gazprom.

"This gas negotiations began in Vienna in accordance with the protocol of December 20", he said. Earlier, the executive director of the Ukrainian Naftogaz Yuriy Vitrenko said that on December 26 the parties would meet to finally agree on the terms of the contracts. He expressed the hope that the process will end on December 27. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said he was counting on finalizing gas transit arrangements this weekend.

December 20, Moscow and Kiev announced the approval of a new gas transit contract (valid expires December 31, 2019) for a period of five years, as well as the settlement of mutual claims between Gazprom and Naftogaz. The parties agreed to waive new mutual claims, withdraw mutual claims, pay Gazprom about $ 2.9 billion by decision of the Stockholm arbitration, and amicable settlement agreement on antitrust proceedings against Gazprom in Ukraine.

According to the agreement, the minimum gas pumping volume will be 65 billion cubic meters. m of gas in 2020 and 40 billion cubic meters annually in the period from 2021-2024.