Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine will cease the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe by January 2025, marking an end to a key energy arrangement amid ongoing tensions with Moscow.
Speaking after talks with European Union leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Zelenskyy said the decision reflects Ukraine’s stance against allowing Russia to profit while the war continues.
“We will not prolong the transit of Russian gas,” Zelenskyy stated, according to Reuters. “We will not give the possibility of additional billions to be earned on our blood, on the lives of our citizens.”
However, Zelenskyy noted that an exception might be considered if payments for the gas transit are deferred until after the war.
“If the country is ready to give us the gas but not pay the money back to Russia until the end of the war, then it's a possibility we can consider,” he added.
The move could significantly impact European countries heavily reliant on Russian gas, including Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia. Slovakia, which imports about three billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia, had pushed for an alternative arrangement involving Azerbaijan.
Under the proposed plan, Azerbaijan would purchase Russian gas, label it as its own, and sell it to the EU. This arrangement, however, was dismissed by Zelenskyy, who criticized it as deceptive.
“We don't want to play a game where another country receives gas from Russia and then transits it,” he said, describing such practices as indirectly funding Russia's war efforts.
Zelenskyy also addressed concerns raised by Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who warned that Ukraine would suffer economically once the deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom ends.
“To be honest, during a war, it's a bit shameful to talk about money because we're losing people," Zelenskyy rebuked.
While Zelenskyy expressed openness to transporting gas from other countries, he emphasized the need for guarantees that the fuel is not simply re-branded Russian gas.
Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed the impact of Ukraine’s decision, asserting that Gazprom and Russia’s economy would adapt.
“This contract will no longer exist. Everything is clear,” Putin said, according to the Kyiv Independent. “We will survive; Gazprom will survive.”
The European Commission has assured member states that alternative gas supplies are available, reducing the bloc’s dependence on Russian energy.
Ukraine’s decision aligns with its broader strategy to limit Russian economic gains during the war. The move also highlights the EU's ongoing efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce reliance on Russian gas, a key geopolitical objective since the invasion of Ukraine.
As the 2025 deadline approaches, European nations may need to accelerate efforts to secure alternative energy supplies to mitigate potential disruptions.
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