Austrian chancellor says Ukraine policy firm despite Russia's gas cut

Austria plans to stick to its Ukraine policy despite Russia halting gas deliveries to the country, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in a statement on Friday.

"We will not be blackmailed and will not be brought to our knees," he said.

Gazprom Export, a subsidiary of Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom, informed Austrian oil and gas group OMW on Friday that it would halt gas deliveries from Saturday.

The move is seen as a response to an arbitration ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce, which awarded OMV €230 million ($242 million) in a contractual dispute with Gazprom.

Nehammer said Gazprom had on several occasions not fulfilled its delivery obligations in order to exert pressure on Austria for its support of EU sanctions against Russia.

"No one in Austria has to freeze. The apartments can be heated," the chancellor continued, emphasizing that there are sufficient gas reserves available and that Austria's gas consumption is not relevant to the European market.