EU brokers Ukraine-Russia gas deal

The European Union has negotiated a deal to ensure that Russia does not restrict Ukraine’s natural gas supplies this winter.

Under the deal unveiled Friday, Ukraine would pay back $3.1 billion in debts to Russia, The Associated Press reported.

{mosads}The deal, which would expire this spring, comes amid disputes over what Ukraine should pay for past and future gas deliveries from Russia. An international court in Sweden is expected to rule on the issue next year.

Russia cut off supplies earlier this month amid a larger conflict over Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine, including Russia’s moves to annex Crimea earlier this year and its involvement with separatists in Ukraine.

“Today, we worked out a sound draft for a winter package, and I am confident that this draft can win the approval of all those involved in Moscow and Kiev,” Günther Oettinger, energy commissioner for the EU, told the AP.

Oettinger plans to bring top officials from Ukraine and Russia together next week to sign the deal.

Ukraine would pay $2 billion of the amount by the end of October and the remaining $1.1 billion by the end of the year, with EU guaranteeing the payments, the AP said.