Russia ready to continue gas supplies to Europe via several routes - Novak

MOSCOW. Dec 25 (Interfax) - Russia is ready to continue gas supplies to Europe via several routes, while the fate of transit through Ukraine depends on what agreements the EU and Kiev reach, Deputy Russian Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"The issue has not yet been resolved, although Europeans and European countries are interested in this. But this depends primarily on the European Union and Kiev coming to an agreement on the possibility of such supplies. We, for our part, have always said we are ready to continue supplying gas not only via the existing branch - there are a number of other routes," he said.

Novak said the situation with gas in Europe was already tense - storage levels are 3-5% below the five-year average.

"The situation there is already quite tense, even despite the fact that gas continues to flow from Russia today. If it stops flowing, then the situation there will be even more difficult," Novak said.