EDITORIAL: Re-emerging Russia ...

Ukraine wants to pay 1/2 of the market price for Russian gas. Russia wants the market price. Evil! Cold war again!

Ukraine should learn a lesson here that if it wants to live in Capitalism, then it should not expect any free lunch. Ukraine should stop stealing gas sent to Western Europe and should start taking responsibility for its debt and purchases like every responsible adult. Ukraine should not expect any big discounts from Russia if Ukraine’s behavior towards Russia is not friendly. Russia wants Ukraine to pay like everyone else… what a surprise! It’s called Capitalism, baby! Ukraine should pay the same price for Russian gas as everyone else, and if it doesn’t like the price then it can always go and fish or shut up and pay. True Capitalism! Nothing to criticize here. Ukraine wants to spit to Russian face first, and then expects a big discount from Russia. Who are you people kidding? Do you think that we are all blind idiots here? Have respect for your readers, some of them may be even as smart as you are. Ever considered this possibility?

Czar Putin dreams of the days when the world trembled when the Russian bear rolled over, he is working hard to try and recreate those days. Unfortunatly for him the world economic and political situtation is working against him.

rtk_51 You are like a child! How old are you? Never thought of growing up first?

Guess Russia is going to learn the hard way that if you keep turning the spigot off people eventually buy elsewhere.

..so are the russians bears or the crocodiles now? did the washington zoo leave its gates open? the editorial sure seems to've been penned by a donkey... seriously tho, so i "allegedly" forgot to pay a bill a week or so ago, the city cut off the water with no warning.. those durn russkies got everywhere! as always, an enjoyable little propaganda piece from "The Washington Pravda".. please.. russia seems plenty enlightened by now.. the authors, on the other hand, might use some lights in the place where their heads seem to be so firmly lodged.. peace

Ukraine wants the price of gas it buys to reflect the world market price for gas, which in case no one in Russia noticed (of course, they have), has dropped by 60% lately. They have paid all of their debts for previous shipments. They only owe on late fees and interest. For Russia to take the draconian measure of cutting off all gas shipments because of late fees and interest belies their true grievance with Ukraine. This dispute is no different than the one Georgia recently experienced with Russia. Instead of fomenting an uprising in a breakaway province, which cannot be done in Ukraine, Russia cuts off all gas shipments. The cause of Russian aggression is the same - these former satellite nations are befriending the west, and attempting to gain membership in NATO. So Russia is left with two avenues to project power - cozy up to all of the world's worst dictators, and try to blackmail people with gas. The animus toward Putin's Russia expressed in this editorial is in keeping with the conservative principles of the editorial page. In case people have not noticed, democracy is dead in Russia, and there is no freedom of speech, of the press, and diminishing freedom of religion. And when its leaders project outward the same beligerence toward free nations that they did 2 0years ago, it bodes ill for those of us who wish Russia could finally be free from the tyrants who have imprisoned their citizens for so long

You on have already educated in 90, any more we do not want. Pay debts of Ukraine and educate it.

..oh but there's a perfect solution for europe, could they not heat their homes with all the hot air escaping from the bloviating american 'conservatives'? madisonian,if i may, "gas" is something produced by excessive use of words "freedom" and "democracy". the prices of "gasoline" have indeed fallen lately.. "natural gas" is something that russia exports as well and that hasn't got much cheaper...do find out how much britain pays for a 1000 cubic meters, and how much ukraine has been paying in the 18 years since it became "free and independent". ukranian government did everything it possibly could to spit in russia's face in the last year. outlawing the use of the native language of half the population is democratic exactly how? if you escape from the gulag, why do you expect the guard to keep bringing you a plate of the old chow? does russia have to sell its goods to an unfriendly regime? does the united states have to sell anything to cuba or iran??? logic, ladies and germs.. try it..