European gas supplies to be hit by Ukraine dispute
05/03/2008 - 11:08:13Under-pressure Ukraine said today it would reduce gas supplies to Western Europe because of Russian cuts to its own economy.
Russia has this week made two swinging reductions in the amount of gas it provides to Ukraine in a row ostensibly about unpaid bills.
Yesterday, Ukraine promised the dispute would not affect the gas that Russia routes through its pipeline system to the rest of Europe.
But today Russia’s Gazprom state natural gas monopoly said Ukraine had notified it would reduce transit gas supplies after all.
A Gazprom spokesman said Ukraine intends to cut 60 million cubic metres a day.
