Ukraine says it could cut Europe’s gas

KIEV, Ukraine – Ukraine’s natural gas company on Tuesday warned that if Russia further cuts its gas supplies, it could begin diverting shipments intended for western Europe.

Russia’s state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom on Monday reduced shipments to Ukraine by about a third and on Tuesday threatened a further 25 percent cut if Ukraine did not resolve a dispute over debts and contracts by the evening.


Much of the gas that western Europe buys from Russia comes in pipelines that cross Ukraine. Gazprom has promised that gas destined for Europe would not be affected by the dispute.

But Dmytro Marunich, a spokesman for Naftogaz, Ukraine’s natural gas company, said the company “reserves the right to resort to adequate and symmetrical measures to defend the interests of its consumers.”

AP