Didn’t Gazprom double or triple the cost of natural gas to the Ukraine?
Perhaps that could have something to do with the payment problem today, eh Gazprom?
Actually, they are charging about what they charge Europe. They had increased the price, but later dropped it. I suspect they did it to gain the high ground and to appear fair. They know Ukraine will never pay anyway. Ukraine is broke.
The big increase you speak of was due to the fact that Russia had agreed with the previous regime to subsidize the gas as part of their economic pact. It was an incentive to cozy up with Russia instead of the EU. After the coup and abandonment of the pact by Ukraine, Russia didn’t see the need to subsidize anymore. I don’t blame them. Would you want to spend billions subsidizing a government that is hostile to you as part of an agreement that no longer exists?
There’s that, and the fact that Russia carved out a portion of Ukraine’s territory for itself.
Gazprom got rid of Ukraine's discounted price (which they were not paying) and brought them up to Europe pricing.