Russia to export gas to Europe until the end of May

 Russia has guaranteed gas deliveries to Ukraine and the EUthroughout May, the EU’s top energy official said Friday, after talks with hiscounterparts from Kiev and Moscow aimed at resolving a row over energy supplies,Alliance News reported.Cash-strapped Ukraine has been unable to settle its gas bills from Russian energygiant Gazprom in recent months. Russia has raised the price of energy and isthreatening to demand advance payment for future deliveries.Ukraine, which is at the centre of the worst standoff between Russia and the Westsince the Cold War, is also a transit route for EU member states relying on Russianenergy supplies.“The goodwill of all those present today, not to allow the gas sector to escalate andbecome an instrument of politics but to find solutions, was evident,” said EU EnergyCommissioner Guenther Oettinger after the talks in Warsaw. He said he would hold two more meetings this month with Russian Energy MinisterAlexander Novak and his Ukrainian counterpart Yuri Prodan, to resolve immediateand longer-term questions over Russian gas supplies to Ukraine and beyond.“It is indisputable that the Ukrainian gas company, Naftogas, did not pay the gasbills for the period of February, March and April,” said Oettinger. “It is indisputablethat gas was delivered to the Ukrainian market in these months.