Sergiy, you are glad for what ? for become you country clown of EU? this is not first time that an UA government do this "war with russia" or because you have now for president Yushenko ? Kuchma do
the same when he was president !finally EU will have its gas and UA will still do its contract !

Rick, Milan, Italy

Russia has to learn to respect their neighbors, especially the country that also happen to be one of their major customers. The truth is that Russia depends on Ukraine no less than Ukraine depends on Russia, and I am glad that the Ukrainian government finally demonstrated this explictly.

Sergiy, Yevpatoria, Ukraine

EU cannot do the ostrich putting the head under the sand ! In this moment EU has a lot of contractual power with UA , more than Russia has. The UA politicians are playing an hazard but has to hold alive their bets with :WTO, NATO and EU agrement. if the EU do-hard face- with UA ,it obtains what want.

Rick, Milan, Italy

D Murphy, Skipton & Gino, Hastings, England

For now we don`t have any claims to a western Europe. Of cause it`s a shame that EU is to suffer a collateral damage produced by UA`s dishonestness, but we can do nothing here - Ukraina just refuses to transit european butane through it`s pipelines.

Peter, Vladivostok, Russia

Peter in Vladivostok. Europeans have signed contracts to pay Russians for gas. But they're not getting any gas because Russians have turned it off. No matter what games Putin wants to play, that is called breach of contract. It is called the rule of law. Russia wants respect ? Get used to that rule.

D Murphy, Skipton,

The court recognized the agreements invalid, because the former deputy chairman of the Naftogaz Ukrainy board, Igor Voronin, concluded them. The Ukrainian government did not empower the foresaid official to sign these agreements.

Rick, Milan, Italy

Yes ! ! ! a court of Ucraina has forbidden the transit of Russian gas and ordered to confiscate russian gas if transit for Ukraine !All this because Ucraine side tell that contract for transit was signed by an ucraine official that dont has power for do this! And In ucraina the know this now !!!!!!

Rick, Milan, Italy

2 Viktor, Merepha, Ukraine:
No problems! If you like US gas prices - buy it from US. If you want to rise transit prices - rise them when new transit contract is negotiated.

Alex, Moscow, Russia

Russia depends financially on selling gas to the EU and more than wishes to do so, but the lines run through Ukraine who cannot pay the EU prices. No contract with Ukraine for 2009 was signed, THEN Ukraine stole gas going to the EU THEN Russia stopped supplies that cannot reach destination.

Sergey, Moscow, Russia

Gino,
Have you spent at least 5 minutes for analysing of this gas problem?Why do you talk only about Russia and don’t say anything about Ukraine activity?Ukraine has closed all transit gas pipe lines (not Russia) and Ukraine steals gas of EU customers on it’s own territory.And you blame Russia only

Peter G, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

Hi, it seems like all russia-based readers here support putin? Russia should gain respect in the region not by gazprom weapon but by making bodering states willing to work and live with us. I'm tired of ideology here in russia that we're surrounded by enemies.

Max, Moscow, Russia

I think the best solution is the new terms on delivery - EU can buy Russian gaz on the UA-RF border. For Russia it's the best solution to explain who is the supplyer you can trust and who is the "bad guy". All of the possible problems not ours in that case.

evgeny, Moscow, Russia

Dear Westerners,
if you don't want to face Russian trheats in frosty winters, depending on how would you follow Putin's imperatives, diversify your gas supplies ASAP! thourgh Nabucco, from Algiers, from wherever. Build underground gas reservoirs... Or adjust lifestyle to Russian bear's non-democracy

George, Tbilisi, Georgia

Viktor, buy gas in us, what's problem here? with transportation you will pay not less than $400-500.

Alexander, Ekaterinburg, RF

Why Ukrainians have to pay $250 per 1000 square meters while natural gas price in the USA constitutes $224? Why gas transportation price in Ukraine have to remain 58% lower than in Slovak Republic ($1.7 vs. $4)? Putin is threaten with internal rebellions and he seeks for a country-enemy.

Viktor, Merepha, Ukraine

David, HK
It is called "Default", David. Ukraina has this option to. Not the best one, because it will show that the late UA`s policy (stick together with EU against us) made a complete mess of this country`s economy.

Peter, Vladivostok, Russia

With all due respect, David, you kind of expect default when you buy a bond promising a 150% return....

Tatiana, London,

Russia does not like the fact that Ukraine has supported Georgia, not like the fact that Ukraine wants to integrate into NATO and the West. Russia can use the same excuse that it used in Georgia, the same excuse that was used by Hitler in Sudety - protection of their fellow tribesmen -I mean Crimea

Kate, Kiev, Ukraine

EU and Ukraine are undergoing the same thing on a larger scale that happened to Georgia in Jan 06 when the Russian gas pipe "exploded" on the Russian territory and was shut down for "maintenance" for many weeks, leaving entire Georgia without gas amidst the coldest winter.

Sergei, Kharkov, Ukraine

The annual mayhem of Russian/Ukraine negotiations will continue until pricing mechanism is the same as for European customers, i.e. linked to the price of oil.
I don't see why Gazprom has to continue selling gas to Ukraine at 60% discount to market price.

Tatiana, London,

So Peter, why didn't Russia pay debt due in 1998? Instead of honouring 'the conditions of written contracts' Russia defaulted. Very nice.

David, HK,

All are able to speack about Russia only speaking about Mr Putin . Putin has offered to close the contract with ucraina to 250$, and this is not FUTURE, is today! And today we, Italian I , pay gas 400/450$, Ucraina less than 50%, 178$ ! But this for you is not a great gift that Russia makes to UA?

Rick, Milan, Italy

I would like to see if your nation had a credit of 2 billions 600milions of $ , what would you say :-)))
especially in these black times !

Rick, Milan, Italy

1. Dear Times - Part tranche of IMF has already sent Ukraine - went not to pay its debts, or support for their industries - they were simply stolen of National Bank of Ukraine. Already the IMF would be better covered the debts of Ukraine and control costs.

Henry H. Pashkov, Taganrog, Russia

Peter;
The EU are customers of Gazprom and do not have any outstanding debt with them. Please don't talk nonsence.
This situation has already backfired on Russia as you regard money more higly than human life, and this episode, will not be forgotten.

Gino, Hastings, England

The author forgot to add that latest 'democratic' Government of Ukraine is the most guilty part of all country problems. They're destorying production, science and education by their own hands and will continue to destroy without any external help

Yuri, Simferopol, Ukraine

Just learn to respect the conditions of written contracts (even if you have to pay and even if you have to pay to Russians) and there won`t be any problems. It is the only message that we`r sending to the world.

Peter, Vladivostok, Russia