Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned Ukraine he will cut that country's gas supplies if it siphons fuel from export lines. Mr. Putin made the statement in Moscow following a meeting with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann. His warning carries an implicit threat that Europeans this winter could again face shortages of natural gas they receive from Russia via pipelines through Ukraine. In recent years, European consumers have felt the impact of bitter Russian-Ukrainian payment disputes. It appears Ukraine continues to have problems financing its fuel imports. VOA Correspondent Peter Fedynsky examines the issue in this report from the Russian capital.
