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US asks Russia and Ukraine to solve gas crisis
The US State Department urged Russia and Ukraine to settle their dispute over natural gas prices.
The US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack on Tuesday urged Russia and Ukraine to settle their dispute over natural gas prices that prompted Moscow to shut off supplies in a move that was also felt in western Europe.
McCormack said the situation raised questions not only about energy security in Europe but whether the Russians were using supplies as a political sledgehammer with the newly democratic former Soviet Republic.
"It's something that we have raised with the Russian government," he told reporters.
"I believe our embassy has been in touch with Russian authorities," McCormack said. "At the assistant secretary level in Washington, we have been working the issue as well."
McCormack again expressed sympathy for Moscow's desire to move towards market prices for its natural gas. "But believe that such a change should be introduced over time, rather than suddenly and unilaterally," he said.
Russia's state-controlled energy firm Gazprom said on Sunday it was cutting off supplies to Ukraine, which depends on Russia for around a third of its natural gas imports, because Kiev had failed to accept a steep price hike.
McCormack said the move "raises questions about the use of energy to exert political pressure."
"I'm not going to try to discern exactly what the Russian motivations were in taking these steps," he said. But he added, "I would note that it is winter and the Ukrainians have some parliamentary elections coming up.
