Ukraine seeking closer ties to the European Union means natural gas flows from Russia to the 28-nation bloc are unlikely to be disrupted, according to Maplecroft Ltd. and Energy Aspects Ltd. UkrTransGas is shipping full volumes from Russia to Europe, the Ukrainian pipeline operator said yesterday, one day after its own supply was cut by Russia amid a two-month long pricing dispute. All imports needed to meet domestic needs can be replaced with gas from Europe for now, Naftogaz Ukrainy’s Chief Executive Officer Andriy Kobolyev said. Russia’s OAO Gazprom (GAZP) cut supplies after a payment deadline expired, echoing disputes that disrupted flows in 2006 and 2009, when the state-run company accused Ukraine of siphoning off transit gas, a charge it denied. Ukraine, which carries Russian gas meeting about 15 percent of the European Union’s needs, is seeking closer ties with the bloc after former President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted […]