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'''Gazprom''' is a Russian gas company, which supplies approximately one quarter of Europe's gas needs.
==Gazprom's PR==
In 2006 Gazprom cut off gas supplies to the Ukraine in 2006 and took similar action against Belarus in 2007. In April 2006 the ''Financial Times'' reported that the Russian government signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Washington office of the PR company [[Ketchum]] and its Brussels-based sibling, [[GPlus Europe]]. The <i>Financial Times</i> reported that the contract is "to improve the presentation of Russia's presidency of the Group of Eight leading nations." In the U.S. U.S. Republican Senator from Arizona, [[John McCain]], criticized the decision in January by the Russian government controlled company, Gazprom, to cut off gas supplies to the Ukraine. <ref>"[http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/30/business/web.0430energy.php EU asks US to help pressure Russia on energy]", ''Reuters'', April 30, 2006.</ref>
The deputy press attaché to Mr Putin, Dmitry Peskov, told the <i>Financial Times</i> that Russia's 12-month presidency stint of the G8 "didn't get off to a good start on the communications front." "Perhaps if we had already been working then with some kind of communications company things would have been different," he said. <ref>Neil Buckley, "[http://news.ft.com/cms/s/13bcae1e-d87c-11da-9715-0000779e2340.html Kremlin hires PR group to improve G8 image]", ''Financial Times'', April 30, 2006. </ref>
In January 2007 ''Kommersant'' reported that Gazprom Export, a subsidiary of Gazprom, was negotiating with a consortium comprising the PBN Company, [[Hill & Knowlton]] and the polling firm [[Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates]] for a three-year contract worth $11 million. "In the West, Gazprom is closely associated with the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his political circle. The company wants to position itself differently," an anonymous source said. The Kremlin is also considering another PR and lobbying campaign to boost its credibility in the West. Short-listed firms include [[Patton Boggs]], [[Hogan & Hartson]], [[Weber Shandwick]], [[Burson Marsteller]], [[Barbour Griffith & Rogers]], [[Ruder Finn]] and [[Hill & Knowlton]]. <ref>"[http://www.kommersant.com/p734218/r_529/ Gazprom to Launch Major PR Campaign]", Kommersant (Moscow), January 16, 2007. </ref> The following month Radio Free Europe reported that Russia had launched "a series of public relations events" designed to enhance the image of Vladimir Putin regime, the Russian gas company Gazprom, and the country's intelligence and military forces.<ref>Victor Yasmann, "[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/02/01743cd3-2f57-49d6-91d0-15d2e62cc15f.html Russia: Rebranding The Nation]", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, February 6, 2007.</ref> [[category:Russia]][[Category:Oil industry]][[CatgeoryCategory:Energy]][[category:Europe]]
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