Kyiv refuses to allow further Russian gas transfer via Ukraine
- 20 December, 10:03
Ukraine will not extend the agreement for the transfer of Russian gas via its territory, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Thursday, December 19.
“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,” Zelenskiy said in Brussels.
"Any country in the world that can get something cheap from Russia will eventually become dependent on Russia - whether it happens in one month or one year. That's their policy," Zelenskiy said in Brussels where he met key EU leaders to strategize the on-going war with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also confirmed the termination of the energy contract, while addressing a press conference on the same day. “This contract will no longer exist. Everything is clear. We will survive, Gazprom will survive.” The Russian leader said the state-owned energy company Gazprom will endure the loss.
Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was the first one to announce the termination of the contract with Russia. In a statement on December 16, Shmyhal said Ukraine's agreement with Russia on gas transit comes to an end on January 1st 2025 and will not be extended.
Kyiv’s decision has raised concerns in some European countries – such as Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria - that remain reliant on Russian gas despite the EU-imposed sanctions on Russian energy since the start of full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Following discussions with Slovakia’s Prime Minister Reobert Fico, Shmyhal said that Ukraine was open to negotiating gas transit agreements for any origin except Russian.
