Ukraine has resumed purchases of Russian gas, Russian state gas firm OAO Gazprom said Friday, easing weeks of tension between the two countries after Gazprom had raised concerns that flows to Europe could be affected.

Ukraine 's state gas company Naftogaz began buying Russian gas again and stopped taking gas from its underground storage facilities, Gazprom's chief executive Alexei Miller said Friday.

Gazprom said Thursday that Ukraine taking gas from its underground storages could have a "negative effect" on gas transit to Europe .

Russia accounts for one-quarter of Europe 's gas needs, the bulk of which flows via Ukraine .

Gas tensions between Russia and Ukraine disrupted winter deliveries to Europe in 2006 and 2009.

The announcement Friday follows a phone conversation between prime ministers of Ukraine and Russia during which they agreed "that each party will do everything necessary in accordance with their obligations to ensure uninterrupted supply of adequate volumes of gas needed to consumers in Europe ," Ukraine 's government said in a statement Friday.

It is not clear, however, whether Ukraine has settled the $1.3-billion debt Gazprom says it owes for earlier gas deliveries.
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