Brussels The European Commission moved to ease fears that the volume of Russian gas reaching Europe was falling after Moscow said that Ukraine was stealing supplies. Ferran Tarradellas, a spokesman for the EU Energy Commissioner, said that supplies were normal, but Europe was monitoring the situation.

Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Thursday in a dispute over the payment of debts and new prices. Ukraine denied that it was siphoning off gas meant for Europe but admitted it was “removing gas for technical purposes in order to ensure the transit of Russian exports”.

President Yushchenko of Ukraine sent a letter to eight world leaders, including President Bush, President Sarkozy and Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, outlining Ukraine’s position, and said that the two sides were close to a compromise, although Gazprom denied that was the case. A delegation led by Yuri Prodan, the Ukrainian Energy Minister, began a tour of European capitals yesterday to provide reassurances. Around a quarter of the gas used in the European Union comes from Russia, most of it pumped in pipelines that pass through Ukraine. (AFP)

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