Due to ‘default of payment’, the gas tap to Poland and Bulgaria was closed on Wednesday, and that is an unprecedented step. President Putin’s timing is remarkable: now that spring has arrived, the demand for natural gas is much lower, because buildings need to be heated much less. As a result, the gas volumes from Russia to Poland and Bulgaria were no longer very large.
ANALYSIS. Putin turns off the gas tap, but mainly puts himself in a bind | Abroad
