As Russia-Ukraine gas deal ends, Eastern EU faces growing concerns

Russian gas is still flowing through Ukraine's pipeline network to the European Union (EU), providing revenue to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and financing his war against Ukraine. Russia has argued that without its gas, the EU would not be able to meet its energy needs, News.az reports citing Deutsche Welle.

For Ukraine, by contrast, the gas transit deal has always meant first and foremost filling Putin's war chest, even though some of the revenue Russia gains from its exports via Ukraine stay in Kyiv as transit fees.

Now, as the year 2024 ends, Ukraine will not renew the gas transit agreement with Russia, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on December 19 in Brussels. Ukraine will no longer allow Moscow to "earn additional billions" while continuing its aggression against the country.

Russian President Putin also confirmed the contract's termination, telling reporters in a televised briefing on December 26 that a new contract was "impossible to conclude in 3-4 days."

Putin laid the blame firmly on Ukraine for refusing to extend the agreement.

The end of the agreement, however, raises questions about gas supply in landlocked eastern EU countries, which cannot import liquefied natural gas (LNG) by sea. Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia still rely on Russian gas via Ukraine which is why the governments there are eager to continue purchasing Russian gas.

News.Az