Russia and Ukraine strike a last-minute deal over unpaid gas debts - je 12.02.2008,17h

Tensions are heating up between Ukraine and Russia over unpaid bills for natural gas. Russia is giving its southern neighbor until 4pm Central European time to pay up or face supply cuts of up to 25- percent. European Union countries fear a repeat of the 2006 dispute which momentarily disrupted natural gas in transit to western Europe.