MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Russia is not going to use gas to put pressure on other countries, Ukraine in particular, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.

"No, this is not true. Russia has never used, does not use, and does not plan to use gas to punish anyone," he said.

Peskov added that Russia is an absolute guarantor of Europe’s energy security. "Russia has been and remains an absolute guarantor of energy security of the whole European continent," he said.

"Russia uses gas exclusively in its own interests, in the interests of our people, to increase the welfare of Russians, and exclusively on a commercial basis," Peskov added. "Using gas this way also fully corresponds to the interests of consumers in Europe and also countries that provide opportunities for gas transit if such transit is economically viable," he noted.

The Kremlin spokesman drew attention to the fact that the contract between Russia and Hungary is concluded on the most favorable economic conditions.

On Monday, Hungary signed a new long-term contract with Gazprom to supply gas bypassing Ukraine. Before the agreement was concluded, Kiev announced its disappointment with the deal and promised to apply to the European Commission for an assessment of the deal’s compliance with European energy legislation.