Belarus 'to suspend Russian gas transit to Europe’
Belarus will suspend Russian transit gas deliveries to Europe after Moscow cut supplies in a dispute over debts, President Alexander Lukashenko says.
Lukashenko said the neighbours were facing a "gas war" and he would resume supplies only when Belarus got $260m (£176m) in outstanding transit fees.
Earlier, Russia cut gas supplies to Belarus by 30% after Belarus failed to settle debts of $200m (£135m).
The dispute has the potential to affect 6.25% of gas consumption by the EU.
European Commission energy spokeswoman Marlene Holzner said Lithuania, Germany and Poland were "the only three countries likely to be affected", and there is an alternative supply route via Ukraine.
"We continue to monitor the situation and are in close contact with the Russian Federation and Belarus," she told reporters in Brussels. "We expect contractual obligations to be fulfilled."
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Moscow says that in addition to only a small percentage of European gas going via Belarus, it is also summer-time and gas demand is at a low ebb.
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