CRAWFORD, Texas, Jan 1 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday urged the restoration of normal gas deliveries after Russia cut off supplies to Ukraine over a contract dispute.
“We hope that Russia and Ukraine can resolve their dispute over the gas debt and the terms of their natural gas supply arrangements in a transparent, commercial manner,” White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a written statement from Texas where President George W. Bush is on vacation at his ranch.
“We urge both sides to keep in mind the humanitarian implications of any interruption of gas supply in the winter,” he said.
“The predictable flow of energy to Ukraine and the rest of Europe under market-based, transparent conditions is essential for stability and reliability in regional and global energy markets,” Johndroe said.
(Reporting by Tabassum Zakaria; Editing by Eric Beech)
