By Hai Yang

A new round of gas controversy between Russia and Ukraine that erupted early this week has reminded people of the January dustup that left millions of Europeans without heat in the depths of winter.

Some observers believe that the dispute requires a tripartite solution, and the controversy is another strategic game in which Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission all play a part.

New row, old topics

The dispute started with the joint declaration on the modernization of Kiev's gas transit system signed by Ukraine, the European Commission and other parties in Brussels on Monday.

Angered by the self-proclaimed "exclusion" from discussions about the document, Russian leaders took a tough stance on the issue.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday threatened to review relations with the European Union if Russia's interests were ignored. The declaration was "poorly thought out" and "unprofessional", Putin was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Russia would not resume intergovernmental consultations with Ukraine unless some questions surrounding the declaration were clarified.

"The declaration's contents arouse at least a number of questions," Medvedev told a national Security Council meeting.

"In order to decide what the consequences of the declaration's adoption may be I suggest giving thought to postponing the consultations for a while to look into the decisions that have been made," he said.

The consultations scheduled for next week planned to focus on the extension of a Russian loan of 5 billion US dollars to Ukraine, covering its gas delivery bills, RIA Novosti reported earlier this month.

Responding to the Kremlin's anger, Ukraine said on Tuesday it welcomed Russia to participate in the modernization of its gas transit system.

"Russia, like other countries, can also take part in investment projects, in reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine's gas transit system," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko told a news conference in Kiev.

"Neither Russia nor Europe lost yesterday. Ukraine just wants to safeguard its national interests, its main gas transit pipeline," she said.