Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting of the Russian Security Council that Washington's reaction to the letter that he sent to European leaders about the situation in Ukraine was strange. "It's bad to read other people's mail", Putin said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during the meeting that the State Department's official spokesperson said in what proved Washington's first reaction to Putin's letter that Russia should not politicize its gas deals with Ukraine and should adhere to market pricing.
Putin then said the reaction was somewhat queer.
"It's queer if only because it is bad to read other people's mail. The letters have been written to European consumers of Russian gas. Everybody is used to the fact that our American friends are engaged in wiretapping, but peeping is altogether unseemly", Vladimir Putin said.
But speaking seriously, he added, the gas pricing formula is set down in the official contract that Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine's Naftogaz signed back in 2009.
Russian President urges Europe to help prevent economic 'chaos' in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday urged Europe to help prevent Ukraine's economy from "slipping into complete chaos."
"What is the current number-one problem? It is that Russia can't carry this burden single-handed. It is for this reason that we have suggested to our European partners and friends that all of us meet as soon as possible and map out ways of support for the Ukrainian economy," Putin said at a meeting of Russia's Security Council.
He said anyone who is a friend of Ukraine and loves the Ukrainian people should help prevent the country from defaulting on its debts.
"Dumplings in the Maidan can't do the job. That's not enough to prevent the Ukrainian economy from slipping into complete chaos," Putin said.<
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