KIEV, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine is ready to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to Europe during the winter heating season of 2012-2013, First Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Khoroshkovsky said Thursday.
"I think that during this winter and in the near future there will be no gas crisis, because we cooperate in the framework of the signed agreements," Khoroshkovsky told the participants in the third Black Sea Economic Forum in Livadia.
Ukraine, jointly with Russian and European partners, will prevent new gas disruptions and this winter the heating season will pass quietly, Khoroshkovsky said.
During a week-long cold snap in February 2012, supplies of Russian gas reaching Europe through Ukraine were cut. The gas crisis led to accusations that Moscow had sharply cut gas supplies.
Russian gas giant Gazprom said it was sending the full volume, and accused Ukraine of taking more gas than it contracted. Ukraine denied any contract violations.
In June, Gazprom loaned Ukraine, which carries as much as 80 percent of Russian natural gas westwards, 2 billion U.S. dollars to pay for gas supplies throughout the winter.
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