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, IgbereTV reports
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.
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
