Putin: Russia is Not Responsible For The Rise in Gas Prices in Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, December 23, that it was unfair to accuse Russia of being responsible for the rise in natural gas prices to record levels in Europe, given that the Russian company Gazprom fulfilled all its supply commitments.

Putin told an annual press conference that Gazprom had to fulfill all its obligations under long-term agreements before supplying to spot markets, adding that countries that had long-term contracts, such as Germany, now have much lower prices and can even resell gas to their neighbors and make a profit.

Putin said Europe had created its own gas problems and had to solve it on its own, adding that he doubted that some of the Russian gas arriving in Germany via a pipeline would eventually be resold to Ukraine.