EU gas supplies drop as Russia-Ukraine pricing row deepens

Kiev: European Union countries were on alert for further disruption to gas supplies on Saturday after Russia cut off Ukraine in a row over pricing.

Russian state-controlled gas monopoly, Gazprom, stopped supplies to Ukraine on New Year's Day, saying Ukraine had failed to pay its gas bill.

Romania's pipeline operator said supplies had fallen by up to 40 per cent on Friday and Hungary and Poland also noted drops.

The European Union said it would call a crisis meeting in Brussels on Monday and demanded that transit and supply contracts be honoured.

Russia and Ukraine have insisted they will honour their commitments but Gazprom said Ukraine was stealing gas destined for Europe, a charge Ukraine's gas company denied.