Ukraine won't extend Russian gas transit, Zelensky confirms
Ukraine will not extend the transit agreement for Russian gas through its territory, set to expire on Dec. 31, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Dec. 19 during a press conference in Brussels.
The decision previously prompted concerns from Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, and Austria, whose state-owned energy companies called for the continuation of gas transit through Ukraine in a joint declaration.
Zelensky said that Ukraine would not allow Moscow to “earn additional billions” while continuing its aggression against Ukraine.
“We will not engage in extending the transit of Russian gas. We will not give (Russia) the opportunity to earn additional billions on our blood,” Zelensky said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, addressing the issue during his annual press conference on the same day, confirmed the end of the contract, expressing confidence in the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom's ability to endure the loss.
“This contract will no longer exist. Everything is clear. We will survive, Gazprom will survive,” Putin said.
While the European Union has made efforts to reduce dependency on Russian fossil fuels following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many countries, including Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria, remain reliant on Russian gas.
The EU only introduced its first sanctions targeting the Russian gas industry, specifically liquefied natural gas (LNG), earlier this year.
Following discussions with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that Ukraine is open to negotiating gas transit agreements for non-Russian sources.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
