OREANDA-NEWS. January 12, 2009. Mr Putin thanked Mr Barroso for the Commission's considerable contribution to establishing a mechanism of international monitoring of Russian gas transit to Europe across Ukraine.

The Prime Minister highlighted the need to implement all clauses of the protocol. "We now expect the EU commissioner to sign the protocol," he said.

After that, independent observers will arrive at the coordinated control stations, Mr Putin said.

As soon as the control system becomes operational, he said, Gazprom will start supplying natural gas to the transportation system of Ukraine to ensure its full and unconditional transit to European consumers.