Ukrainian gas situation 'normal'

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, July 25 (UPI) -- Slovakian gas transit company Eustream said Friday the state of operations through Ukraine were in line with its expectations.

The company said it hasn't seen any pressure reductions or gas volume decreases at a compressor station on the border with Ukraine.

"Gas flow from Ukraine is in normal mode," it said in a statement.

European countries get about a quarter of their gas needs met by Russia, though most of that gas runs through Ukrainian pipelines built during the Soviet era. Ongoing crises in Ukraine is therefore putting European energy security at risk.

Last month, the European Investment Bank said it was lending $132 million to Polish natural gas transmission company Gaz-System for the expansion of a pipeline that could bring gas, including domestically sourced liquefied natural gas, to the border of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine

Eustream said Thursday it was proceeding with construction of a pipeline that would send gas from western Europe to Ukraine. That project would be ready by September.

Ukraine itself was cut off from Russian gas supplies because of mounting debt issues with gas company Gazprom.