A Snapshot of Key Developments in the External Relations of the Russian Gas Sector
By Jack Sharples, EGF Associate Researcher on the external dimensions of Russian gas

Key points:

• Lithuania’s competition authority fines Gazprom $48m for ‘failing to comply with merger conditions’ in relation to its shareholding in Lietuvos Dujos, thus stifling competition in Lithuania’s gas market
• Gazprom sells its stakes in Lietuvos Dujos and Amber Grid
• European gas companies negotiated an average discount of 20 percent in 2013-14, according to Cedigaz
• Gazprom implements prepayment in Ukraine, meaning that Naftogaz will only receive gas for which it has already paid. Given that Naftogaz failed to pay up front for its June gas supplies, the practical result was the suspension of Gazprom deliveries to Naftogaz
• Bulgaria halts construction of South Stream, pending EU concerns over the tender process for its construction on Bulgarian territory
• Gazprom and OMV confirm Austria’s entry into the South Stream project
• Gazprom expects $25bn pre-payment in China gas deal, but terms yet to be finalised
• Rosneft claims that a Gazprom monopoly on domestic pipelines in the Russian Far East would be illegal, and promises legal action to secure its right to supply Russian consumers in the region
• Results of Gazprom's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

• July 15, 2014

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday major differences persist between Iran and six world powers negotiating on Tehran's nuclear program, with a week to go before a deadline for a deal.

• July 14, 2014

srael held back on Monday from a threatened escalation of attacks on the northern Gaza Strip and no Palestinian rockets streaked towards Tel Aviv, but elsewhere fighting continued unabated despite growing pressure for a ceasefire.

• July 14, 2014

Ukraine on Monday accused Russian army officers of fighting alongside separatists in the east of the country and said Moscow was once more building up its troops on the joint border.

• July 14, 2014

China and the United States must avoid a "new cold war" in their international relations, China's top newspaper said on Saturday, in the wake of high level talks in Beijing between senior leaders of the world's two largest economies.

• July 12, 2014

Ukraine scrambled jet fighters to strike at rebel positions early on Saturday, after separatists resumed missile attacks on government forces near the frontier with Russia, the border guard service said.

• July 12, 2014

The European Union targeted Ukrainian separatist leader Aleksandr Borodai and 10 other rebels with travel bans and asset freezes on Saturday, avoiding fresh sanctions on Russian business to avoid antagonizing its main energy supplier.

• July 12, 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a six-day tour of Latin America on Friday, seeking greater influence in the backyard of the United States while under pressure from the West to help restrain pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.

• July 11, 2014