EU Says Russian Gas Halt Is 'Unjustified', Working On Response

Russian gas giant Gazprom's announcement that it halted supplies to some European customers is "unjustified and unacceptable", European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday, adding the EU was working on a coordinated response to the escalation by Moscow.

Gazprom on Wednesday said it had halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria for failing to pay for gas in roubles, Moscow's toughest response yet to sanctions imposed by the West over the conflict in Ukraine.

"The announcement by Gazprom that it is unilaterally stopping delivery of gas to customers in Europe is yet another attempt by Russia to use gas as an instrument of blackmail," von der Leyen said in a statement.

"This is unjustified and unacceptable. And it shows once again the unreliability of Russia as a gas supplier," she said.

Von der Leyen said the EU was prepared for this scenario, and would continue its work to ensure alternative supplies of gas and ensure gas storage is filled. EU rules require all countries to have a contingency plan to cope with a gas supply shock.

Von der Leyen said the EU was working on a coordinated response to Russia's escalation, and its "gas coordination group" of representatives from national governments and the gas industry was meeting on Wednesday morning.

Poland's climate ministry said on Tuesday its energy supplies were secure and there was no need to limit supply to consumers.

The Commission has said companies should continue to pay the currency agreed in their contracts with Gazprom - 97% of which are in euros or dollars - and that paying in roubles could breach the EU's sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

EU gas storage is currently 32% full. EU countries are negotiating emergency rules that would require them to fill storage 80% by November this year, to form a supply buffer in time for winter, when gas heating demand peaks.