EU calls for end to gas dispute

These Sarajevo residents are resorting to desperate measures to get fuel.

Amid freezing temperatures, Bosnia's just one European country whose Russian gas supplies have been disrupted in the face of the Russia-Ukraine gas pricing dispute.

Russian gas supplies which come to Europe via Ukraine shut down completely on Wednesday.

The row between Moscow and Kiev has spread across Europe, leaving growing numbers of countries without Russian fuel in freezing mid-winter temperatures.

Gas flows to countries including Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece and Turkey stopped, supplies to big economies in western Europe, including Germany and Italy, were also disrupted.

While Moscow accuses Kiev of stealing gas and shutting off the pipelines, the head of Ukraine's state-run energy company Naftogaz blamed Russia for stopping the gas flow:

SOUNDBITE: Oleh Dubyna, Head of Ukraine's Naftogaz, saying (Russian):

"Ukraine physically cannot halt or not allow the gas to go through. If Russia decides to re-open all six pipelines the decision will be Russia's and not ours. Therefore it is Russia's decision to halt gas supply to Europe."

Europe gets around a fifth of its gas from Russia via Ukraine - and the EU has started to take a more forceful approach as the effects of the row have worsened on the continent.

After a meeting with the Czech Prime Minister, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU is ready to help Russia and Ukraine find a solution to the dispute:

SOUNDBITE: Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, saying (English):

"We have received assurances, both from Prime Minister Putin, and Prime Minister Tymoshenko, that they both accept international monitors to verify on the ground that this is really working."

Barroso said it was important the gas supply started again immediately.

But despite its talk, the EU will be aware of its limited ability to act, and its failure to reduce its dependency on Russian energy due to internal divisions and lack of alternatives.

Joanna Partridge, Reuters