Ukraine meets Russian gas payments despite price rise

KIEV.  May 7. KAZINFORM  Ukraine's state-run Naftogaz said Monday it was continuing to meet its payments to Russian gas giant Gazprom, despite a price rise of 9 U.S.dollars per thousand cubic meters to 425 dollars in the second quarter, Xinhua reported.

Naftogaz said it had paid 628 million dollars for natural gas supplies in April under a 2009 agreement in which Ukraine has to make monthly payments to Russia within the first week of each month.

Kiev is seeking to reduce gas imports to 27 billion cubic meters to ease pressure on the state budget.