EU hopes for settlement of Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute

European Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger expressed hope on Wednesday to find a solution to the gas dispute between Russia and the Ukraine.
Moscow has stopped supplying gas to Ukraine after failure of recent negotiations between Kiev and the Russian gas company (Gazprom), meaning that Ukraine will continue to be a transit country for the supplies to Europe, but itself will be deprived of the gas.
Latest developments in Ukrainian crises could have negative repercussions on the dispute over the gas, where "the situation is now much more difficult" than it was a week ago, Austrian Press Agency quoted Oettinger as saying during a news conference in Vienna, referring to escalating conditions of the internal war in the Ukraine The European Commissioner, who tried to reduce concerns about prospects of halting Russian gas supplies to Europe, referred to assurances of the Russian Government and Gazprom to continue the supplies to Western Europe.
Ukraine has been unable to settle its debt to Gazprom Company, which demands in-advance payment for purchase of the Russian gas