Moscow, Jan 1 (IANS) – Russian energy giant Gazprom announced on Wednesday that it has halted the transit of gas through Ukraine following the expiration of key agreements, which were not renewed by the Ukrainian side. The agreements, originally signed on December 30, 2019, included a contract between Gazprom and Ukraine’s national oil and gas company Naftogaz for the transportation of Russian gas, as well as a cooperation agreement between the two countries’ gas transmission system operators. These agreements officially expired at 8 am Moscow time (0500 GMT) on Wednesday, Gazprom stated on Telegram.
Gazprom also stated that Ukraine had consistently refused to extend these agreements, leaving the Russian company without the necessary technical and legal framework to continue gas transit via Ukraine.
As a result, the flow of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory was halted at the specified time. The move had been anticipated, as the Russian government had previously warned of increasing challenges in the transit of Russian gas to Europe.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on December 23 following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Moscow, emphasized the difficult situation. He pointed out that European countries continuing to purchase Russian gas are concerned about its continued transit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had confirmed earlier at a European Union summit that Ukraine would not extend its five-year gas transportation deal with Russia, which was set to expire at the end of 2024. This decision has raised alarms in Slovakia, which holds a long-term gas contract with Gazprom. Despite Putin’s assurances of Russia’s willingness to supply gas to the West, including Slovakia, Fico expressed concerns that gas deliveries would be “practically impossible” once the transit agreement ends.
The possibility of resuming gas transit would require a formal request from the European Commission and the transport of non-Russian gas through Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine in December.
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