Gazprom, the Russian-owned gas giant, stopped supplying natural gas to Ukraine on Monday, further signaling that months-long tensions between the two countries aren't going away anytime soon. The energy company said Kiev failed to meet a deadline to pay off its more than $4 billion in unpaid bills, and thus would not receive any more natural gas unless it pays up front.
"Gazprom supplies to Ukraine only the amount that has been paid for, and the amount that has been paid for is zero," said a company spokesman. A Ukrainian energy official confirmed that the supply of gas ended this morning. The move, however, doesn't mean Ukraine will be without gas. The country's prime minister said it could go without new supplies until December, if necessary.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.