The United States welcomed on Wednesday the settlement of the natural gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine, and called for greater transparency and efficiency in the European energy sector.

"I think that in general we welcome it in that it was essentially a bilateral agreement between Russia and Ukraine that settled the dispute between the two countries," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"One thing that we hope emerges from this episode is that the episode will stimulate longer-term efforts to increase the transparency, openness and efficiency in the energy sectors of the region."

Russia and Ukraine struck a five-year deal on gas deliveries on Wednesday, three days after Russia cut off the gas supply to Ukraine at the height of a bitter pricing dispute.

The United States expressed concern over the natural gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine after the former cut off gas to Ukraine on Sunday, saying "Such an abrupt step creates insecurity in the energy sector in the region and raises serious questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure."

McCormack said Washington played no role in the five-year accord on pricing that ensured Russian deliveries to Ukraine and, through its transit pipeline network, to the rest of Europe.

Source: Xinhua