The current dispute between Russia and Ukraine over gas supply is not a European affair, but an economic issue between Russia and Ukraine, Czech President Vaclav Klaus said on Wednesday.

Klaus, whose country is holding the rotating European Union (EU) presidency, made the comments at a meeting with visiting members of the European Commission.

The Czech News Agency reported that earlier on Wednesday, Klausmade a phone call to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko over the gas dispute.

The president said the EU would be making a mistake if it politicizes the dispute and sees it as a European matter.

Klaus will also meet Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Prague on Thursday to exchange views on the gas conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

About one-fourth of natural gas consumed in EU countries are imported from Russia, among which 80 percent is shipped through pipelines across Ukraine.

Caught up in the gas row between Russia and Ukraine and hit by freezing weather, several Eastern European countries were faced with a serious gas crisis, with factories shut down, schools closed and thousands of people left without gas for heating.

Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on January 1 after the two countries failed to reach an agreement on gas prices and transit fees for 2009.

On Wednesday, Russia shut off all gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, accusing Kiev of "stealing" the gas in transit. Ukraine denied the claim and blamed Russia for the shortage of gas in many European countries.

(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2009)