Russia gas deal back on, Moscow says

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) - Russia said Monday it would restore gas supplies
to Europe after Ukraine, which has been engaged in a dispute with Russia,
dropped conditions that had angered Moscow.

Russia and Ukraine had earlier agreed to a deal brokered by the European
Union to end a bitter, weeks-long standoff between the two countries. The
dispute left countries from Turkey to the Baltics with reduced gas supplies
during an unusually cold winter.

Russia said the deal was off over the weekend because Ukraine - the key
transit country - had attached unacceptable terms to the agreement.

Russia responded furiously, with the country's president and prime
minister and the head of Gazprom all weighing in.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on television the attachment was
unauthorized, and "ties up the existing problem (of transit) with issues that
have nothing to do with it."

Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller told Russia reporters the attachment was "an
attempt to legalize the theft" of gas, Interfax reported.

But Monday it appeared the deal was back on, and a delegation from Russia
was heading to Brussels to sign the deal.