Russia presses Ukraine on gas debts as leaders meet | Reuters:
"(Reuters) - Russia increased economic pressure on Ukraine on Saturday by drawing a link between disbursement of the next tranche of its $15 billion (9 billion pounds) aid package to Kiev with repayment of a hefty gas bill owed to Russian firms.
The linkage, made in comments by Russia's finance minister, came as the Kremlin confirmed President Vladimir Putin had held private talks with Ukraine's leader Viktor Yanukovich in Sochi on Friday before the opening of the Winter Olympics.
No details of the leaders' talks were disclosed.
Moscow agreed on credits and cheaper gas for Kiev in December to help it meet huge debt payments, gaining the edge over the European Union in a tug-of-war for influence in Ukraine, a former Soviet republic of 46 million people."
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