Russia has made a last-minute attempt to put pressure on Ukraine over signing a landmark EU trade treaty.

Turkey has given it the go-ahead for the construction of a gas pipeline under the Black Sea, Russia’s energy giant Gazprom said.

Russia is resuming gas supplies to Belarus now that it has paid its debt of nearly $200m (€162.2m) for previous shipments, the Kremlin said today.

Russia deepened cuts of natural gas supplies to ex-Soviet neighbour Belarus even further today over what it claims is a debt of nearly $200m (€162.8m).

Russia deepened cuts of natural gas supplies to ex-Soviet neighbour Belarus even further today over what it claims is a debt of nearly $200m (€163m).

Russia made deeper cuts of natural gas supplies to ex-Soviet neighbour Belarus today over what it claims is a debt of nearly $200m (€162.3m).

Companies from four European nations today signed an agreement with Russia’s natural gas monopoly Gazprom to be supplied by a new pipeline – a project that has raised concerns about increasing European dependence on Russian supplies.

Europeans left freezing and in the dark saw their hopes for an end to the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute sink after officials failed to reach a deal which would restore power to millions of homes.

The leaders of Russia and Ukraine were warned today to stop treating Europe’s gas supply as a “hostage” in their continuing dispute over unpaid bills.

RUSSIAN prime minister Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine yesterday of “severe consequences” if it disrupted gas supplies to Europe, as another New Year’s Eve energy dispute went down to the wire.

The CEO of Russia’s state gas monopoly Gazprom said tonight Russia will cut off all gas supplies to Ukraine tomorrow morning.

President Vladimir Putin sought to ease fears about his planned talks with other natural gas exporters today, saying Russia was not forming a gas cartel.

Russia and Belarus are digging in today in a deepening dispute over natural gas prices, as Russia's state-run gas monopoly Gazprom started the countdown towards a January 1 supply cut unless the neighbouring nation agreed to pay more.

Russian state gas monopoly Gazprom will halt supplies to Belarus on January 1 if no new contract is signed to end a price dispute, warning European countries that their deliveries could be affected, the company’s chief said today.

Bid interest in British Gas owner Centrica reared up again today as investors took a punt on the possibility of a takeover move from Russia’s Gazprom.

RUSSIA’S Gazprom state-controlled gas giant has raised the threat of a repeat gas crisis with Ukraine, warning that the ex-Soviet nation was building up its winter gas supplies too slowly and possibly endangering smooth deliveries to Europe.

The Russian and Ukrainian natural gas companies today agreed to resume gas shipments to Ukraine, but details of the deal were not known.

Western Europe was warned that its supplies of gas could be hit if Russia carries out its threat to cut off fuel to Ukraine on New Year’s Day.