President Vladimir Putin has said he was surprised at Washington’s reaction to his letter to European states regarding Ukraine’s gas debt.

President Vladimir Putin has said he was surprised at Washington’s reaction to his letter to European states regarding Ukraine’s gas debt.

The US State Department earlier said Moscow should not politicize its gas deals with Kiev.

 “It’s strange, in any case, because it’s bad to read someone else’s letters,” Itar-Tass quoted Putin as saying at a meeting of the Russian Security Council on Friday.

 “It was not addressed to them, but to gas consumers in Europe. Everyone got used to the fact that our American friends secretly listen to conversations, but it is even worse to watch furtively.”

Speaking seriously, he added, the price for Russian gas supplies was determined in official contracts in 2009.