Ukraine to end transit of Russian gas into Europe

Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine will end on Wednesday, when a five-year contract between Ukrainian gas operator Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom expires.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country would not allow Russia to “spend billions more on our blood” and gave the EU a year to prepare.

The EU has sharply reduced gas imports from Russia since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but several eastern countries still rely on the supplies, costing Russia about €5bn ($5.2bn; $4.2bn) a year.

The European Commission said the continental air route is “sustainable and flexible” and that it has sufficient capacity to deal with the end of transit through Ukraine.

Russian gas accounted for less than 10% of EU oil imports in 2023, according to figures from the bloccompared to 40% in 2021.

But several EU members, including Slovakia and Austria, continue to import more oil from Russia.

Austria’s energy regulator said it did not predict any disruptions because it has various sources and is building reserves.

But Ukraine’s proposal has already caused serious friction with Slovakia, which is now the entry point for Russian gas into the EU and has received funding to transport gas to Austria, Hungary and Italy.

On Friday, the Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico – who had just made it surprise trip to Moscow in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin – threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine.

This prompted Mr Zelensky to accuse him of helping Mr Putin “fund the war and weaken Ukraine”.

“Fico is dragging Slovakia to Russia to try to make the Ukrainian people suffer,” the Ukrainian president said.

Poland has offered to help Kyiv if Slovakia cuts off electricity exports – a vital commodity for Ukraine, whose electricity supply is regularly attacked by Russia.

Moldova – which is not part of the EU – could be particularly affected by the end of the travel agreement. The wind affected the power plant that Moldova relies on for most of its electricity. It also ceded the Russian-backed region of Transnistria, a small region between Moldova and Ukraine.

Moldova’s Minister of Energy, Constantin Borosan, said that the government had taken steps to stabilize electricity in the country, but asked citizens to conserve electricity. A 60-day state of emergency in the electricity sector has been in place in Moldova since mid-December.

President Maia Sandu accused the Kremlin of being “black” and possibly aiming to destabilize her country ahead of the 2025 elections. The Moldovan government also said it had provided aid to Transnistria.

Russia has transported gas to Europe through Ukraine since 1991.

As the EU has reduced its dependence on Russian gas, it has found alternatives in natural gas (LNG) from Qatar and the US and pipeline gas from Norway.

When the route through Ukraine is completed, the Black Sea’s TurkStream – which reaches Turkey, Hungary and Serbia – will be Russia’s only gas supplier to European countries.

In December, the European Commission he made plans it said it would help EU countries replace gas transiting through Ukraine.

Under the EU emergency plan, the affected countries will be given Greek, Turkish and Romanian gas from the Trans-Balkan route, while Norwegian gas will be sent to Poland. Many goods will also reach central Europe via Germany.