Connect with us

International

Russia stops gas supply to Bulgaria, Poland amid standoff with Europe over Ukraine war

Published

on

Russia cut off the natural gas supply to Bulgaria and Poland on Wednesday for refusing to pay in Rubles as the standoff between Moscow and the rest of Europe over the war in Ukraine took another dimension.

Both Bulgaria and Poland had expressed opposition to Russia’s show of military strength against its neighbour in the Black Sea region.

The development has further stoked tension between Russia and the rest of the continent with major European economies still reeling from successive cut-offs which have shot up prices of energy across the world.

The European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, in a statement in Brussels, described the announcement by the Russian state-owned corporation, Gazprom, as unacceptable.

READ ALSO: UN chief to meet Putin, Ukraine President as conflict enters 55 days

Gazprom had said it shut down natural gas supply to Poland’s PGNiG gas company and Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz because they had not complied with an order to pay in Russian currency.

It added that the suspension would persist until the companies make payments in Rubles.

Van der Leyen said: “The announcement by Gazprom that it is unilaterally stopping delivery of gas to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail. This is unjustified and unacceptable.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now