(CNN) -- Belarus' president has ordered the halt of Russian natural gas deliveries to Europe via Belarus, his office told CNN Tuesday.
The move comes as Russia is decreasing the amount of natural gas it sends to Belarus over what it says are unpaid debts. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said Russia owes Belarus $260 million for the natural gas it transports through the country, state news reported.
"I have ordered the government to close down the transit of gas via Belarus until Gazprom pays for it. They haven't paid us a penny for this in the past six months. This is a cynical and absurd situation when you owe me $260 million while I owe you $190 million, and you are closing the valve on me, Lukashenko said, according to the Belarus state-run news agency Belta.
Lukashenko's announcement came after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered energy giant Gazprom to restrict gas supplies to Belarus because of what he says are unpaid debts.
Alexander Medvedev, head of exports for the company, told reporters that Gazprom would protect its customers.
