“As for market prices, Russia can charge what it wants in my opinion. Countries can either pay or not pay.”
Actually, no, Russia does not have the authority to unilaterally hike the price of its natural gas deliveries to the Ukraine. The contracts and international laws regarding coercive and unreasonable non-market pricing of such goods prohibit such actions by Russia.
Furthermore, Russia’s acts of aggression in the Crimea and now in the other Oblasts of the Ukraine have caused a state of war to exist between Russia and the Ukraine. Consequently, the Ukraine has the right to seize and impound all Russian assets, including accounts receivable for the natural gas payments, and turn those over to a trustee to manage pending the outcome of the belligerancy and any damages payable to the Ukraine from Russia for its unlawful aggressions agianst the Ukraine. the Ukraine also has the right to make legal claims against the Russian assets in other nations in accordance with the normal international laws and customs.
Contracts deserve respect.
International laws — not so much.
“Consequently, the Ukraine has the right to seize and impound all Russian assets, including accounts receivable for the natural gas payments”
Okay, that one there is durned funny!!! Guns, jets, and artillery defeat lawyers, every single time.
You have never read Machiavelli, have you?
Poland pays $500/tcm to Gazprom. Why should Ukraine pay $268/tcm?
Read Monmouth78’s post #3 above. As he points out, the existing price was subsidized. It is now being raised to the European market price.