Russian president says Ukraine must pay cash for gas, starting in June

MOSCOW - Russia will only deliver gas to Ukraine only if it pays in advance starting from next month, President Vladimir Putin said in a letter released Thursday, raising the pressure on the struggling neighbour. Putin first warned in April that Russia would do so, in a letter to European leaders whose nations are customers of Russian state-controlled Gazprom natural gas giant. He said Moscow would have to demand advance payment if Ukraine failed to start settling its mounting gas debt. In the second letter released by the Kremlin Thursday, Putin said that a meeting involving Russian, Ukrainian and the European Union officials has failed to settle the issue. Read More http://ift.tt/1v9m76H