Energy policy of Russia and in a few cases explicit political demands are evident. Starting 1 January 2007 Gazprom increased the price of natural gas to Azerbaijan from US$110 to $235 per thousand cubic metres. (At the time, Gazprom charged the EU US$250.) Azerbaijan refused to pay this price and the gas supply to Azerbaijan stopped. On its side, Azerbaijan stopped oil exports to and via Russia. A year earlier, pro-Russian Armenia was hit with the same 100% price increase as Western-oriented Georgia, Vladimir Socor has observed. The Russia-Belarus energy dispute began when Russian state-owned gas supplier Gazprom demanded an increase in gas prices
Gazprom Germania Gazprom Germania GAZPROM Germania GmbH (), a company registered in Berlin, Germany, is headquarters of a diversified conglomerate, GAZPROM Germania Group, operating in more than 20 countries, and is a 100% subsidiary of the world's largest natural gas company, Gazprom. GAZPROM Germania Group is active in natural gas sales and marketing, trading, exploration and production, as well as in underground storage projects. Companies of the group operate in Europe, USA, Central Asia and Singapore. GAZPROM Germania Group owns shares in: In addition to its main activities of expanding Gazprom's operations in foreign markets, Gazprom Germania Group is an active sponsor