Rusland blijft Slowakije, Tsjechië en Oekraïne voorzien van olie (en)

Brussels has welcomed assurances from Moscow of an agreement between Russia and Ukraine that will avoid any disruptions to the transit of oil to the European Union.

On Tuesday (29 December), the two sides signed a fresh pact for the transit of oil via Ukraine to Europe, with Moscow acceding to a 30 percent increase in fees imposed on the passage of the fuel to EU destinations.

The European Commission was informed by the Russian government that there was no longer a risk of disruption of oil supplies.

The previous day, Moscow triggered the Early Warning Mechanism, which was usedby the Kremlin for the first time since its adoption in November 2009, following Ukrainian demands for an increase in transit charges for Russian oil destined for Europe.

The Ukrainian tariff demands were in conflict with a 2004 contract and could have provoked another fuel row between Kiev and Moscow, increasingly becoming something of a New Year's tradition.

The EU countries highly dependent on such supplies for the most part lie in the east, principally the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

The mechanism is intended to raise alarm bells in Brussels long before any disruption could affect eastern households, and allow for both dialogue and emergency preparations to be made.

"I am glad to see that the newly agreed Early Warning Mechanism has been used by the Russian side to inform us about a possible supply disruption," said EU energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs. "The Mechanism has proven to be a useful communication tool."

"I am also very glad to note that the Russian and Ukrainian sides have meanwhile found an agreement avoiding a disruption of oil supplies to the EU," he added.