The Russian-Ukrainian “gas war” that took place for 20 days in January and the disruption in December 2005 are part of a long-running struggle between Ukraine and Russia over pricing and transit fees.1 The latest confrontation is the most recent in a long line of disputes, not only with Ukraine but also with Belarus, a smaller but important transit point for Russian gas moving to European markets. These pricing and delivery commitment disagreements have been an ongoing feature of Russian relations with both countries since the fall of the Soviet Union. The most recent dispute has heightened European concerns over dependence on gas supplies from Russia. The European Union&rsquo...