Gazprom is surprised at accusations that the company is blocking natural gas supplies from European countries to Ukraine, Interfax reported.
"I've got no idea why [our accusers] think this is blocking [by Gazprom]. If they want to transport gas in the opposite direction, let them do it, but if there is no pipeline, there is nothing to hope for," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov told Ekho Moskvy radio.
Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavitsky recently said that there was some truth to reports that Gazprom was working to block shipments of gas to Ukraine from Slovakia. Two scheduled pilot shipments of gas from Slovakia have not taken place. The cause of the failures has not been disclosed.