WISLA, Poland - The Ukrainian president says Russia is using a gas dispute that has deprived Europe of energy supplies in winter to gain control of Ukraine's gas transit network.
Viktor Yushchenko says Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom wants to charge the former Soviet republic an unjustly high price in order to drive it into debt and later acquire a stake in its pipeline network.
Visiting Poland today, Yushchenko said he will not allow that to happen.
Russia briefly restarted sending gas through Ukraine yesterday but then accused Ukraine of blocking its flow to Europe.
Ukraine said Russia deliberately chose a pipeline route that would force Ukraine to cut off domestic users before the gas could reach Europe.
The politically charged dispute has dramatically lowered supplies to Europe and angered the European Union.
