Ukraine will stop the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe by January 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed this week.
The decision marks a major shift in the energy landscape, as Ukraine’s current deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom is set to expire at the end of the year. This agreement has been a source of income for Kyiv, contributing around 0.5% to Ukraine’s GDP.
Speaking in Brussels after talks with EU leaders, Zelenskyy emphasized that the transit agreement would not be extended, citing the ongoing war and the moral cost of continuing to profit from Russian gas.
“We will not give the possibility of additional billions to be earned on our blood, on the lives of our citizens,” he said.
Before the announcement, several EU countries, including Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, pushed for the deal’s renewal due to their dependence on Russian gas.
However, Zelenskyy rejected this request, stressing that Ukraine would not facilitate any workaround schemes, including the possibility of rerouting gas through Azerbaijan.
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Slovakia, which imports a significant amount of gas from Russia, had explored this alternative, but Zelenskyy called it a deceptive move to continue sending money to Russia.
The Ukrainian president did leave room for negotiation, suggesting that a delay in payments could be considered, but only once the war has ended.
“If the country is ready to give us the gas but not pay Russia back until the war’s conclusion, that’s something we could think about,” he said.
Zelenskyy also rebuked Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, who had warned of economic consequences for Ukraine once the deal ends.
“During a war, it’s a bit shameful to talk about money because we’re losing people,” Zelenskyy remarked.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed the potential impact of the deal’s end on Gazprom, stating that the company would survive despite the financial setback.
The European Commission has reassured that EU countries dependent on Russian gas have alternative supplies lined up in anticipation of the change.