Slovakia agrees to send reverse-flow gas deliveries to Ukraine

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Slovakia has agreed to use reverse-flow deliveries to send natural gas to Ukraine, which is facing a threat from Russia to cut off supplies because of a massive debt.

The Slovak pipeline operator Eustream says both sides have reached a deal during talks in Kiev.

In a Saturday statement, Eustream said it would sign a memorandum of understanding with Ukraine's Ukrtransgaz in Bratislava Monday.

Slovakia will use a currently unused pipeline from Vojany to Ukraine's western city of Uzhorod. Ukraine could get about a fifth of its gas needs through the pipeline.

Ukraine wanted Slovakia to provide the gas through four pipelines that flow Russian gas through Ukraine to Slovakia and Western Europe, but that was rejected because it would violate a Slovak deal with Russia's Gazprom.