Vladimir Putin Warns EU States Over Ukraine Gas Crisis

Vladimir Putin Warns EU States Over Ukraine Gas Crisis

Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to European Union states about the possibility of a gas supply shutdown if it does not help Ukraine pay its outstanding gas bill to Russia's state company Gazprom.

The Russian President issued 18 letters, most of them to Eastern European heads of state as their countries would be most affected by a gas supply shutdown. Analysts say the warning is a way to siphon all possible money the international community would lend Ukraine and keep it under its sphere of influence.

Putin’s intentions are a clear reminder that if the European Union wants to pull Ukraine from Russia’s influence, it should be prepared to handle the country’s current debts or risk its economic collapse and a limited gas supply to its own countries.

In the meantime, Ukraine faces increasing riots in its eastern region as the pro-Russian and Russian speaking minority is asking for federalization or independence in a play by play scenario of the Crimean peninsula. Government buildings in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk are still occupied by armed pro-Russian protesters as the Ukrainian government is trying to come to a peaceful solution to the five day long dispute.

The warning comes just ahead of the first serious talks on ending the Ukrainian crisis where the United States, the European Union Ukraine and Russia will be involved.

Posted by James Fried on Friday April 11 2014, 6:24 AM EDT. Ref: seattletimes. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0