OREANDA-NEWS. March 3, 2009. Russian gas supplies to Poland have dropped to 78% of the contracted volumes, since both countries failed to settle a new contract, the main gas importer to Poland PGNiG said. Full contracted gas supplies to Poland were halted after intermediary RosUkrEnergo, a JV of Gazprom and two Ukrainian businessmen, had suspended gas supplies as a result of the gas conflict between Moscow and Kiev in January.

In late January, sources at Gazpromexport said that the gas producer is prepared to ramp up gas supplies to Poland. However, in order to ensure additional exports it is necessary to sign a supplementary agreement to the Russian-Polish intergovernmental agreement dated 1933. According to PGNiG, on Sunday it ceased to receive 5 bcm of gas via Ukraine. As a result, total gas supplies to Poland slid to 78% of the volumes stipulated in the contract. Earlier, this figure amounted to 93%.