Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that "Moscow was surprised at tone of USA General secretary`s statements about Russian-Ukrainian relationships in gas sphere". Russian foreign political department disliked Rice`s words that "Russia didn`t act as responsible supplier of energetic resources". Russian side insists that though negotiations with Ukraine were long and difficult, a long-termed agreement, guaranteeing stable gas supplies to Ukraine and gas transit to Europe, was reached. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was surprised at Rice`s misunderstanding of principles of market economics: "Admitting the ineffectiveness of Soviet structures, General Secretary, strangely enough, considers that Russia and Ukraine need the gradual transition of market prices on gas formation". As a reminder, the statement of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was a response on criticism of Condoleezza Rice regarding the Moscow position during negotiations with Kiev in gas problem.