Russian gas company Gazprom has shut off all its gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine, the latest move in its pricing dispute with Ukraine's state-owned gas company Naftogaz, halting gas deliveries to many European countries.
According to Gazprom, the Ukrainian state gas company Naftogaz has confirmed that all gas supplies from Russia have been halted. Russia has blamed the cutoff on Ukraine, which it claims has shut down the last pipeline carrying Russian gas.
Approximately 80% of Russian gas is delivered through Ukraine, according to the Associated Press.
Russia had earlier ceased all gas supplies to Ukraine, following the failure of both the countries to agree on pricing and transit fees. Following these supply cuts, Russia has accused Ukraine of illegally drawing many million cubic meters of gas meant for export to Europe through transit pipelines.
Ukraine has admitted accessing some of the gas volumes meant for transit to Europe saying it needed the fuel to keep running the pumping system. Later on it was discussed that gas transit through Ukraine would be resumed, once the Multilateral Monitoring Commission starts working in Russia and Ukraine.
The Commission’s objective is to monitor unhindered transit of Russian gas to European consumers across Ukraine. This proposal made by Angela Merkel, German Chancellor and Mirek Topolanek, Prime Minister of Czech Republic presiding over the EU has been accepted by the Russian party at all levels.