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| Accord signed in Russia gas row | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Russia and European Union officials have signed a deal, setting out how they will monitor Russian gas flowing to Europe through Ukraine. | Russia and European Union officials have signed a deal, setting out how they will monitor Russian gas flowing to Europe through Ukraine. |
| Progress on the stumbling block follows talks between Russian PM Vladimir Putin and Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, representing the EU. | Progress on the stumbling block follows talks between Russian PM Vladimir Putin and Czech PM Mirek Topolanek, representing the EU. |
| Hundreds of thousands of European homes have no heating after gas shipments via Ukraine were halted on Wednesday. | Hundreds of thousands of European homes have no heating after gas shipments via Ukraine were halted on Wednesday. |
| The deal must still be signed by Ukraine to come into force. | The deal must still be signed by Ukraine to come into force. |
| Even if a deal goes through, the affected countries are unlikely to have gas before Monday at the earliest. | Even if a deal goes through, the affected countries are unlikely to have gas before Monday at the earliest. |
| Mr Putin says the written deal is necessary to control the flow of gas to Europe. | |
| Russia has accused Ukraine of stealing Russian gas destined for Europe, a claim which Ukraine has denied. | |
| Bitter dispute | |
| The two countries have been locked in a bitter contractual dispute over gas prices and transit fees. | |
| Although both countries had guaranteed that transit supplies to Europe would be unaffected, they were cut off amid mutual accusations between Kiev and Moscow. | |
| More than 15 countries across central Europe have been hit by the shutdown of Russian supplies. | |
| Serbia and Bosnia-Hercegovina are among the worst hit as many homes rely on heating stations that only run on gas. |