MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. The gas price hike on the European market is the consequence of electricity shortage and not vice versa, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the Russian Energy Week forum.

"The gas price growth in Europe became the consequence of electricity shortage and not vice versa. One should not, as we say, try to lay the blame on somebody else, as certain our partners attempt to do," Putin said.

Systemic defects were put into the European system step by step over the last decade, the Russian President said. "They exactly led to the large-scale market crisis in Europe. I would like to remind that when nuclear and gas power generation was at leading positions, such crises did not take place, there were no reasons for them to appear," Putin added.