Kiev allowed the five-year contract with Moscow to lapse on January 1, jeopardizing energy supplies to the bloc
The halt of Russian natural gas supplies to the EU through Ukraine marks a historic milestone, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko has said, insisting that the move would benefit the bloc.
The flow of Russian gas through Ukraine officially ended on the morning of January 1, after Ukraine refused to extend the five-year transit agreement between Naftogaz and Gazprom energy companies amid the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. The move came despite vocal opposition from some EU members that rely on Russian energy.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, Galushchenko described the decision as a “historic event.”“Russia is losing markets and will face financial losses. Europe has already made the decision to abandon Russian gas,” he said, adding that the expiration of the agreement is in line with the EU’s policy to wean itself off Russian energy.
The minister also stressed that Ukraine’s gas infrastructure has been prepared for this scenario, claiming that domestic consumers will have reliable access to energy.
The transit halt affects a pipeline that crosses Ukraine into Slovakia, which had been a major recipient of Russian gas. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed concern about the collapse of the gas transit deal and threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine if the agreement was not extended.
Last month, Fico traveled to Moscow to discuss energy issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin to address the crisis. The surprise visit triggered outrage in Kiev, with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky accusing Fico of carrying out “murky schemes” with Moscow.
While many EU members have welcomed steps to reduce dependence on Russian energy, Fico slammed Brussels’ acceptance of the situation as “absolutely irrational and wrong,” stressing that sustainable flow of gas is “in the interest of all EU citizens.”
In addition, Bloomberg reported last week that Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Italy are pursuing alternative strategies to ensure the continued flow of Russian natural gas.
Putin said last week that Russia has always tried to “depoliticize” the issue of gas deliveries, stressing that Moscow has never refused to supply the EU with energy. He added that Gazprom will be able to withstand the disruption, while warning that EU consumers will bear the brunt of Kiev’s move.
