European Commission President José Manuel Barroso told the bloc’s leaders Thursday that the EU’s executive body could give Ukraine a maximum $1 billion (EUR790 million) in the near term out of its budget to help Kiev pay its bills, according to several officials briefed on discussions. The money could be made available to Ukraine quickly in order to help Kiev settle a gas bill to Russia that would allow Ukraine to start receiving gas from Russian energy company OAO Gazprom again.