Ukraine gas firm delays paying Russia

Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz has acknowledged having problems paying Russia for last month's gas deliveries, raising fears of a new row between the countries.

"The difficult financial situation in Ukraine and the growing debt of national consumers complicate Naftogaz's collection of funds to pay for the gas imported in October fully and on time," the firm said in a statement.

Any fresh dispute over gas deliveries would raise energy security concerns across Europe, which relies heavily on Russian gas.

Russian gas supplies were cut off to more than a dozen European countries for two weeks in January in a bitter payment dispute between Moscow and Kiev.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called on the European Union on Monday to "open its wallet" with a loan to Ukraine to help the country pay its gas bills.