“The president of Ukraine again confirmed his readiness to join the summit under condition that it will be conducted on European soil,” Yushchneko’s press service reported.

Russia’s Gazprom suspended the supplies on January 7, citing a dispute with Ukraine over natural gas prices and transit fees, also accusing Ukraine of siphoning some of Europe-bound gas.

Ukraine flatly denied the allegations.

Bohdan Sokolovskiy, Yushchenko’s top energy security aide, said Russia was using its monopoly position as gas supplier to hurt the Ukrainian economy and to destabilize the country politically.

Yushchenko’s surprise visit to London comes amid continued failure by Russia to resume supplies of natural gas to the European Union via the Ukrainian pipelines, which threatens the energy security in the region, according to Ukrainian officials.

“At the meeting the Ukrainian and the British parties will discuss issues of energy security,” the press service reported.

In the phone conversation with Merkel, Yushchenko said Gazprom’s alleged attempts to resume supplies to the EU had failed because there was not enough gas supplied.

“The main reason for failed resumption of gas supplies is the lack of natural gas in volumes that have been anticipated in contracts between Gazprom and European consumers,” Yushchenko told Merkel, according to the press service.

He also assured Merkel that Ukraine not only did not siphon Russian gas, but also contributed 75 million cubic meters of its own gas between January 1 and January 7 to ensure the safe transit of gas to Europe. (sb/ez)