In the Ukraine:
Russia has stopped all gas supplies to Ukraine after the collapse of talks to end a row over unpaid bills and prices.
Russia's gas giant Gazprom said it turned off the taps at 0700 GMT, when its contract to supply Ukraine ended.
But wasn't there an "agreement" or maybe a "ceasefire"?
"The debt to Gazprom for gas supplied earlier was not paid. Despite verbal statements from Kiev, Gazprom did not see any money in its account," Gazprom's chief executive Alexei Miller said.
He criticised Ukraine's stance during the negotiations as "unconstructive", and said Gazprom had no legal reason to continue supplying gas to Ukraine.
Mr Miller said the contract to supply gas depended on the full settlement of £2bn in gas bills and late-payment fines levied by Gazprom.
He also suggested that Kiev was seeking to provoke a wider dispute, saying he was "forming the impression that there are political forces in Ukraine which are very eager to see a gas conflict between our two countries".
Anybody hear any protests? Hey, it's cold in Kiev this time of year.
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8 comments:
This is a total disgrace.
Please keep putting the truth out there...there are people reading.
Best regards,
Gail S
thanks
The Ukrainians don't have a contract with the Gazprom as of January 1-st.
The last delegation they send to Moscow wasn't even prepared or empowered to sign it. I believe that Ukraine intentionally provoke Russia hoping again to sit on the sidelines when the Neocons start bashing Russia.
1. Ukraine has a significant debt unpaid for the last year. (although this is irrelevant - see #2)
2. There are no contracts signed with Ukraine for this year and Ukraine does not wish to sign a contract with a new price (though it would still be more than twice less than the one that the rest of Europe pays).
3. On the 31st of December (wtf, they need gas and send people there on the LAST day?) they sent a team to Moscow to "negotiate" that wasn't even authorized to sign anything.
4. On the 1st of January Gazprom announced that Urkaine is now taking gas that goes to Europe and Gazprom will have to increase amount of gas going down the pipe.
5. CNN writes a crappy article avoiding every sharp edge of the situation (general idea - big bad Russia stopped supplying gas to small nice Ukraine - US do not approve).
So the only question is - when someone wants to take yours for free and call you names for not giving, do you like it?
If i don't pay my electicity, they will cut it off after couple weeks i believe. Citizens as well as countries should be responsible for its bills, don't they?
Seriously, stop making a monster out of Russia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel bad for Ukrainian people staying with no electricity at this time o the year. It is cold there. But i am sure the majority of Ukrainians regularly pay for gas, where did the money go?
I don't think I missed any background but my point is that if there's a humanitarian crisis, no matter who ois responsible, will the West raise a cry of 'help the helpless'?
Sure, why don't US "help the helpless" and pay their bill? Easy and simple, right?
YMedad, you've probably heard of the new development in the story. What's your opinion about Ukraine stealing gas from Russia?
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