Hungary to resume gas supplies to Ukraine from January 1

(MENAFN- AFP) Hungary's gas pipeline network operator FGSZ said on Monday that it will resume gas supplies to neighbouring Ukraine, after suspending it indefinitely in September prompting criticism from Ukraine's state-owned gas firm Naftogaz.

"FGSZ Ltd will again secure gas supplies towards Ukraine from January 1, 2015," the company said in a short statement posted on their website on Monday.

FGSZ halted deliveries in late September, a move that was criticised by Ukraine state-owned gas firm Naftogaz as "unexpected and unexplained".

The suspension of deliveries from Hungary to Ukraine came only days a meeting in Budapest between Alexei Miller, head of Russian gas giant Gazprom, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who often warns against damaging commercial relations with Russia.

At the time, FGSZ said the halt was to service an increase in demand.

Supplies from Hungary to Ukraine are part of a European effort to help out Ukraine, which is mired in political and military conflict with Russia.

Hungary has the pipeline capacity to send up to 6.1 billion cubic metres of natural gas to Ukraine annually, or a daily maximum of 16.8 million cubic metres.