Russia renews threat to cut Ukraine gas supplies

Russia’s gas export monopoly Gazprom threatened on Tuesday to cut gas supplies to Ukraine by 25 percent from March 3 over arrears, two weeks after the two ex-Soviet states agreed on how to settle the problem.“This cannot go on. If the problems are not settled, to uphold its economic interests in view of (Ukraine’s) failure to pay for gas, Gazprom will from 10 a.m. (0700 GMT) March 3 cut gas supplies to Ukrainian consumers by 25 percent,” Gazprom said in a statement.

 

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko’s office said in a statement that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin had warned Yushchenko by telephone that Gazprom could start cutting supplies as early as Wednesday.

 

Source: Agencies