The Cold Gas War

Ukraine's rapprochement with the West has come at a high price, Jan Blomgren observes. "The Russians have two goals. If they cut off gas supplies it will have a major effect on the Ukrainian people. This could play an important role in the upcoming parliamentary elections, damaging the popularity of the current president and generating support for the pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych. In addition, Moscow wants to gain control of the gas pipelines that provide almost 50 percent of Europe's energy supplies. Gazprom has said it will sink the price of its gas supplies to Ukraine if that country is willing to form a consortium with Russia to this purpose. The negotiations were already at an advanced stage, but the Orange Revolution has changed the political climate."

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