Gazprom has reassured its European customers that it will continue to supply gas, since the adoption of the threat that it will discontinue supplies to the Ukraine, a transit country for European gas, if it does not repay its debt.

Any shortage which might occur will be due to the Ukraine, said Gazprom director Alexei Miller on Russian TV. In previous Russo-Ukrainian conflicts, Moscow had attributed deficiencies of gas in Europe due to Kiev withholding it.

Russia has warned that it will not supply the Ukraine with natural gas from June onwards, if Kiev does not repay 1.66 bn dollars until the 2nd of June, causing concern that gas exports to Europe will be affected, since they are made through the Ukraine.