Reuters: EU seeks to secure winter gas supply in Ukraine crisis -Oettinger

European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said on Thursday the bloc was seeking to fill its gas storage facilities and de-escalate a row between Ukraine and Russia in order to safeguard its own gas shipments from Russia in the 2014/15 winter.

Ukraine warned Europe on Wednesday Russia could cut off gas to the continent this winter, but Moscow said the supplies would continue regardless of the political situation.

Oettinger told Germany's ARD television diplomacy to defuse tensions between Kiev and Moscow was of the highest importance.

"We need a solution that prevents an escalation between Ukraine and Russia," he said. "We need Ukraine as a transit country. Ukraine needs gas in winter. In a long and cold winter, Ukraine will not have enough stored gas of its own."
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