Russia’s OAO Gazprom company has confirmed today that it is halting all shipments of natural gas into neighboring Ukraine because that nation’s natural gas monopoly Naftogaz has not made any advanced payments for gas in July.
This is the latest in a series of halts, usually surrounding non-payment by Naftogaz, as the companies fight over pricing on a regular basis. When Ukraine was a close Russian ally, Gazprom was obliged to give them a substantial discount, and Naftogaz has been unhappy with attempts to sell to them at closer to market prices.
The last pricing agreement expired at the end of June, and EU-brokered talks on a new price were unresolved, with Naftogaz announcing yesterday it wouldn’t make any payments until a new price was set. Gazprom, consequently, isn’t sending them any gas.
Ukraine gas sales are a major deal to the EU, much of which similarly relies on Gazprom for natural gas supplies, because the primary pipeline into Europe goes through Ukraine. Gazprom has warned that supplies to Europe might be disrupted in the case of a long-term lack of sales to Ukraine, because Ukrainian companies will try to siphon off European supply.
They should also cut off gas to the stupid Europeans this winter.
Yeah, maybe NATO can keep them warm.
All of this will simply be seen as Putin trying to bully the rest of Europe, further strengthening European solidarity, NATO, and the EU. It also makes it clear that if the US Israel Lobby wants to ensure domestic tranquility, so to speak, in America's forward base for the defence of Israel, they're going to have to allow the US to deal firmly with Putin or have their Russian "assets" overthrow him. Putin puts his foot in his mouth yet again!
If by "all this will simply be seen as" you mean "the hallucination I'm having or the propaganda line that I'm trying out, or both is," you're absolutely right.
In no variation of the real universe does "you're not buying gas so I'm not sending you gas" have anything with "bullying."
Haha. Isn't "market economics" exactly why Ukraine is running to the west? Do they think they get those "free markets" for "free"? Pay for what you use, don't be such a socialist, Porky.
How much does AIPAc pay you, Michael?