On Wed., Russia's state-owned energy company Gazprom announced that it had halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria.
This follows Putin's request last month that 'hostile' countries open accounts at Gazprombank and pay for Russian gas imports in rubles, which both countries reportedly refused to do.
By refusing to pay for Russian gas in rubles, Bulgaria and Poland are knowingly sacrificing their economies over a contrived political prejudice and desire to further punish Russia. The reality is, their decision hurts their own citizens.
Putin is using gas as a weapon to blackmail the West, and neighboring countries are rightly standing in solidarity and refusing to submit. The EU has been obtaining alternative gas sources for several years now, and will not face any immediate trouble.