Kyiv has indicated it will not extend the transit deal, ending over 50 years of gas flows from Siberia to central Europe — a vital revenue stream for Russia since the Soviet era.
Russia's Gazprom Export announced that its supply of natural gas to Austria is ending on Nov. 16, according to OMV, Austria's largest gas supply company.
Slovensky plynarensky priemysel (SPP) may also consider a longer-term agreement, as it is also preparing to cut off Russian gas supplies through Ukraine.
No deal is currently on the table between Europe and Azerbaijan to keep gas flowing through Ukraine once a transit deal with Russia expires at the end of the year, despite reports a contract was nearing, CEO of Ukrainian state-owned oil and gas giant Naftogaz said.
"We regularly discuss the topic with our partners, but the information about the upcoming conclusion of a gas supply contract with the participation of SPP is not true," Slovakian state-run gas importer SPP said.
While Russia's deadly war rages on Ukraine's soil, one unexpected aspect of the invasion is that natural gas continues to flow through Ukraine from Russia, with both sides profiting from the deal and – to an extent – financing each other's war machines. That is expected to change when their deal expires
Europe is "fully committed" to phasing out Russian gas and is "ready to live without this Russian gas coming from the Ukrainian transit route," EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said on Sept. 11.
Negotiations are underway between Azerbaijan and the EU, Moscow, and Kyiv on supplying natural gas to Europe via Ukraine, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Sept. 6 at the Cernobbio Forum in Italy
The Austrian Energy Ministry said as long as there is dependence on Russian gas supplies, "there is a massive risk of a corresponding supply failure with far-reaching consequences."
The Hungarian government’s arguments against Ukraine’s sanctions on Russian oil company Lukoil are falling apart. Hungary accused Ukraine of “blackmail” and endangering its energy security after Ukrainian sanctions blocked Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil company, from transiting crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline in June. Hungary and Slovakia
Slovenia started to receive natural gas from Azerbaijan on Aug. 1, as European countries diversify away from Russian supplies of fossil fuels.
Ukraine and the EU have approached Azerbaijan to discuss supplying natural gas to Europe via Ukraine once an existing contract with Russia expires at the end of 2024, President Ilham Aliyev said, Bloomberg reported.
Kyiv is in talks to transit gas from Azerbaijan to the EU after the contract to transit Russian gas expires in December 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Bloomberg on July 3.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was aware of Russia's intention to reduce gas supply to blackmail Europe to speed up the Nord Stream 2 pipeline launch but concealed the information, German media outlet Handelsblatt reported on June 6, citing classified documents.
Kadri Simson also said the EU is preparing for a sudden end to the Russian gas supply when the transit contract between Ukraine and Moscow expires at the end of this year.
The CEO of Ukraine's national energy company has urged EU nations to assist in safeguarding its natural gas storage facilities against recent Russian attacks so they can keep contributing to lower prices across the continent.
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