Zelensky confirms Ukraine will halt gas transit through Gazprom at year’s end

President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukraine will not renew its gas transit agreement with Russian energy giant Gazprom when the current deal expires on December 31.

The current deal, from which Kyiv earns regular income accounting for around 0.5% of its GDP, is set to end on December 31, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Pipelines through Ukraine account for about half of all Russian gas exports to the EU.

Ahead of the announcement, four EU countries particularly dependent on Russian gas—Austria, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia—called for the agreement to be extended.

But speaking in Brussels on Thursday following talks with EU leaders, Zelenskyy confirmed the arrangement would not be continued.

“We would not prolong the transit of Russian gas,” Zelenskyy was quoted by Reuters as saying. “We will not give the possibility of additional billions to be earned on our blood, on the lives of our citizens.”

However, he said an exception could be made if payment is delayed until after the war.

“If the country is ready to give us the gas but not to pay the money back to Russia until the end of the war, then it's a possible potentiality,” he continued. “We can think about it.”

News.Az