Yushchenko's claims on gas transit crisis blackmail: Russian presidential aide

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko's claims on the gas transit crisis were political blackmail, said a Kremlin aide on Thursday.

"We are categorically against making Europe's energy security dependent on Ukrainian politicians' personal ambitions. Attempts to scare Russia and Europe by predicting a crisis in gas transit is something typical of political blackmail," said Sergei Prikhodko while commenting on Yushchenko's letter to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

Yushchenko sent a letter to Medvedev on Thursday listing a number of imminent problems on natural gas cooperation, including urging Russia to change the terms of gas contracts signed in January, the Interfax news agency reported.

Prikhodko said Russia was open for dialogue on gas issues, yet there was no need to change contracts terms.

The Kremlin aide on foreign policy said the letter clearly has its internal political context, which Russia has no intentions to be involved with.

Source: Xinhua