Putin warns EU of possible gas disruption

"Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, representing the Swedish Presidency, spoke on the telephone with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this evening about the fact that Ukraine risks not being able to meet its payment commitments to the company Gazprom," EU president Sweden said late on Sunday.

"Prime Minister Reinfeldt stated that both the Swedish and the Czech Presidency had followed this issue closely and that we will continue to do so."

Quoting Putin's press service, Russia's Interfax news agency said during the telephone talk that "Putin drew the attention of the EU leadership to signals, including those received via official channels from Kiev, of possible problems with payments for Russian gas supplies."

"As Putin stressed, as a result of all this, 'problems with Russian gas transits across Ukraine's territory aimed for European consumers could arise'."

Russia cut gas supplies to western Europe via Ukraine in January 2006 and again in January this year during disputes with the former Soviet republic over gas prices and payments. Supplies to EU customers were disrupted in the middle of winter.

Last Friday, in a telephone talk with Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko, Putin accused Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko of risking provoking a new gas crisis in Europe.

Tymoshenko is Yushchenko's main political foe and a frontrunner for a January 17 presidential election.

Diplomats have said Russia may be wary of entering a new gas dispute with Kiev on the eve of the vote, which Moscow hopes will bring a more pro-Russian president to power.

Ukraine's deep economic crisis has raised fears about its ability to pay for Russian gas.