The European Union will abandon Ukrainian gas transit from 2025 – Kommersant

European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said that the European Union will abandon Ukrainian gas transit from Russia from 2025. The EU is also exploring the possibility of using Ukrainian storage facilities to store its gas reserves. At the same time, the European Commissioner noted that the EU does not support a ban on the purchase of Russian LNG.

“The European Union is not interested in extending the gas transit agreement with Russia, but we are studying the possibility of using Ukrainian gas and the Ukrainian gas transportation system, gas storage facilities for gas storage. European companies already used Ukrainian gas storage facilities last year,” Ms. Simson said following a meeting of the EU Energy Council (quoted by TASS).

According to Kadri Simson, Russia’s share of gas supplies to the EU in 2023 decreased from 22% to 15%. Last year, 14 billion cubic meters were supplied to the European Union through Ukraine. m of Russian gas, another 18 billion cubic meters. m – in the form of LNG. “Of course, the most effective measure to get rid of Russian gas would be to extend sanctions to the supply of LNG and all pipeline gas from Russia. But so far there is no unanimous support for this from the heads of EU states,” the European Commissioner clarified.

Today, March 4, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal statedthat Ukraine is ready to extend the transit of Russian gas, but subject to a corresponding request from the European Union or the mediation of member countries of the association. At the same time, he ruled out the possibility of negotiations on this issue directly with Russia.

The agreement between Naftogaz of Ukraine and Gazprom was signed on December 30, 2019. It provides for pumping 225 billion cubic meters. m of gas, of which 65 billion cubic meters. m in 2020 and 40 billion cubic meters each. m – over the next four years. The contract expires on December 31, 2024. In 2023, the transit of Russian gas through the Ukrainian gas transportation system decreased by 28.4% compared to the 2022 level – to 14.6 billion cubic meters. m. In January of this year, the government of Ukraine reported, which does not intend to renew the contract. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia ready discuss alternative routes for gas supplies to the EU.

Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Italy receive Russian gas in transit through Ukraine. The European Commission believes that it will be possible to compensate for a possible gas shortage if Ukraine refuses transit through alternative routes and increasing the capacity of other gas pipelines, including the Turkish Stream. How wrote Bloomberg, the EC is convinced that even the countries most dependent on Russian gas, including Austria and Slovakia, will be provided with supplies.

Why Europe’s dependence on gas from Russia is decreasing – in the Kommersant article “It’s not the weather that’s reducing demand”.

Lusine Balasyan