By Country / Russia
Gazprom Threatens To Halt Supplies To Ukraine
December 13, 2005
The headquarters of Gazprom, which is in a dispute with Ukraine over gas prices (AFP)
13 December 2005 -- Gazprom, Russia's natural gas monopoly, is threatening to cut off gas supplies to neighboring Ukraine if a price agreement is not reached by 1 January.
Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov made the announcement in comments to Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio station.
Earlier reports said Gazprom chief Aleksei Miller issued a similar warning in an interview to be broadcast tonight on Russia's English-language television channel, Russia Today.
Russia and Ukraine are engaged in a bitter dispute over the price Gazprom wants to charge Kyiv as of next year.
Gazprom has said that it is considering hiking the price it is charging Ukraine to $160 per 1,000 cubic meters from a current $50. Ukraine has criticized the proposed increase, saying it is tantamount to political pressure.
(Ekho Moskvy/ITAR-TASS /RIA-Novosti)