Ukraine: Russian gas offer, 'a trap'

Ukraine officials declared that an offer for gas payment discount made by Russia is a 'trap'.

Representatives from Moscow and Kiev sat together in Brussels for the past days to discuss a possible re-negotiation of the gas supply delivery deal between the two countries.

Russia's final offer for 1,000 cubic meters of gas was $385, reduced from the earlier price of $485, which was the highest any country in Europe currently pays for 1,000 cubic meters.

However, the Ukrainian Energy Minister, Yuri Prodan, thinks that signing the agreement over the new gas deal would mean entering a trap: 'This is a mechanism which can be used or not used. Today we can sign an agreement on the rebate but tomorrow it could be cancelled by the government of Russia.'

On the other side, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, warned that consequences will ensue if Ukraine rejects its offer: 'Our proposals are more than partnership proposals. they are aimed at supporting the Ukrainian economy at rather difficult times, to help them, but if our offers are rejected then our relations will go into a completely different stage.'

Russian gas company, Gazprom, doubled the price it delivered gas to Ukraine after former Moscow-supporting president, Viktor Vanukovych, was ousted.