Russia, Ukraine, EU sign natural gas deal

KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- Russia and Ukraine Sunday signed an agreement with the European Union that paves the way for the resumption of natural gas deliveries, officials said.

The agreement, signed early Sunday in Kiev, mandates the establishment of independent monitors of pipelines, a key Russian demand in its dispute with Ukraine over the flow of natural gas from the Russian utility Gazprom through Ukraine to European customers, The New York Times reported.

Gazprom's Dec. 31 move to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine, and as a result, to Eastern European countries such as Poland and Bulgaria, came as part of a dispute over back payments owed it by the Ukrainian utility Naftogaz. The dispute left Bulgarians suffering greatly without heating fuel in the bitter winter weather, the Times said.

"We signed the document today," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told RIA Novosti early Sunday, after talks with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country currently holds the European Union rotating presidency.

"Nothing prevents Russia now from resuming gas supplies," Topolanek said, adding that the transit of Russian gas to Europe could be resumed within 36 hours.