Washington:
Washington is working with Ukraine and its western neighbors to help reverse gas flows along pipelines linking Russia to Europe after Moscow threatened to cut off supplies to Kiev.
"We condemn Russia's efforts to use energy as a tool of coercion against Ukraine," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Thursday.
Kiev is now paying $485 for every 1,000 cubic meters "a price clearly not set by market forces, and well above the average price paid by EU members," Psaki told reporters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on Thursday to cut off Ukraine's gas unless Europe drummed up the cash to cover Kiev's debts to the Russian state gas firm Gazprom and ensure its own supplies in a flaring standoff over the splintered ex-Soviet state.
The veteran strongman's most direct warning about deliveries on which EU nations' economies depend came with Ukraine facing a new secession crisis following its loss of Crimea.
"The United States is taking immediate steps to assist Ukraine, including the provision of emergency finance and technical assistance, in the areas of energy security, energy efficiency and energy sector reform," Psaki said.
"In addition, we're working with Ukraine and our allies on its western borders to encourage them to prepare to reverse natural gas flows in the pipeline so that Ukraine can access additional gas supplies if needed."
She said the winter had been milder than usual in Europe so stocks were high and "we want some of that natural gas to be available to go back into Ukraine."
But Psaki did not go into further concrete or technical details, such as which pipelines would be concerned and who operated them, saying only "we're working with a range of partners in the region to see what's possible."