MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax-AVN) - President Vladimir Putin said that the current wave of criticism of Russia's decision to switch to market-based settlements for gas with its neighbors is absolutely politically motivated.
"It's difficult to understand why the natural and transparent decision to put settlements for gas with some of our neighbors on a market footing has caused such an outburst of emotions," Putin said at a meeting with Russian ambassadors in Moscow on Tuesday.