Russia to stop sending gas to Poland and Bulgaria

Russian energy giant Gazprom notified Poland and Bulgaria on Tuesday that starting Wednesday, it will stop sending gas to both countries.

The news was relayed to the Bulgarian Energy Ministry and Poland's state gas company PGNiG. Both countries previously told Russia they would not pay for deliveries in rubles, as the Russian government had demanded.

In the first quarter of this year, PGNiG bought 53 percent of its imports from Gazprom, and on Tuesday it accused the Russian company of breach of contract. More than 90 percent of Bulgaria's gas supply is from Gazprom, and the country's energy ministry said it is searching for alternative sources.

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Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz told BBC News this shows Moscow is "not a reliable partner in any kind of business," and he is encouraging Germany and other European countries to back a ban of Russian energy imports. Poland's contract with Gazprom expires at the end of the year, and when a new pipeline delivering gas from Norway comes online in October, it could replace all Russian deliveries, BBC News reports.