UKRAINE WANTS GAZPROM'S MONEY

REUTERS - Ukraine's state energy group Naftogaz said it has asked Swiss courts to enforce a ruling that it receive $2.6 billion from Russian giant Gazprom after a long-running legal battle.

"The company confirms that it has asked the Swiss courts to enforce the award, and understands that Swiss authorities already have taken measures against Gazprom's assets there," Naftogaz said in a statement on Wednesday.

The ruling, made by the Stockholm arbitration court in February, was meant to conclude a legal battle over gas deliveries. But Naftogaz said Gazprom had not complied with the ruling which obliged the Russian company to resume gas supplies to Ukraine at a market reflective price and to pay $2.6 billion.

"Despite the awards and timely pre-payment by Naftogaz, Gazprom refused to resume deliveries to Naftogaz as agreed on 1 March 2018," Naftogaz said in its statement.

Naftogaz said last month that it would go to court to seize Gazprom assets in Europe, but would not touch Russian gas transits through Ukraine.

"Gazprom will defend its right in accordance with the applicable law," Gazprom said in a statement on Wednesday.

The legal battle has run alongside Ukraine's broader political stand-off with Russia.

Gazprom appealed against the Stockholm ruling in April, and the case is ongoing.

Ukraine is a major transit country for Russian gas supplies to Europe where Gazprom accounts for around 35 percent of the gas market.

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Earlier:

2018, May, 25, 10:35:00 GAZPROM IS GETTING REUTERS - The head of Ukraine’s Naftogaz said on Thursday EU-mediated talks over future Russian gas transit via the country to Europe must include Gazprom and must be based on firm commitments.

2018, May, 18, 08:55:00 U.S. - RUSSIA PIPELINE SANCTIONS REUTERS - Washington was focused on using diplomatic means to halt Nord Stream 2, one of several Russian projects to export gas to western Europe via routes avoiding Ukraine, with which Moscow is involved in a series of disputes.

2018, April, 20, 08:35:00 U.S. BOUGHT UKRAINE U.S.DT - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met with Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk of Ukraine. Secretary Mnuchin and Minister Danyliuk discussed the economic and reform outlook of the Ukrainian economy.

2018, April, 13, 17:50:00 RUSSIAN GAS FOR EUROPE ANEW PLATTS - "It cannot be the case that Nord Steam 2 means that Ukraine no longer has any significance in transiting [Russian] gas," Merkel said after a meeting with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko.

2018, April, 13, 17:35:00 UKRAINE WANT $17.5 BLN REUTERS - But it warned that all its expectations hinged on Ukraine sticking with its $17.5 billion programme with the IMF, which has expressed concern about perceived backtracking on reforms and delays in implementing policies to tackle corruption.

2018, April, 2, 09:05:00 UKRAINE'S GAS PRICES WILL UP REUTERS - The International Monetary Fund told Reuters on Friday Ukraine should allow the market to determine gas prices as promised under a $17.5 billion loan program, after the government extended a below-market level pricing system for households.

2018, March, 14, 11:35:00 NORD STREAM NIGHTMARES U.S. OGJ - Sandra Oudkirk, deputy assistant secretary for energy diplomacy at the US Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources, said Nord Stream 2 matters to the US because it would cement a transportation system in place that could perpetuate dependence on Russian gas for some key US allies. “It would not increase the amount of gas coming into Europe, only replace volumes that now are being transported through Ukraine,” she said.