Gas issue is an internal dialogue inside EU, Ukraine will not extend transit of Russian gas - Deputy Prime Minister
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine will not continue transit of Russian gas to the EU. The gas issue is an internal dialog between individual member states and the European Commission.
Ukraine will not extend transit of Russian gas to the EU. The gas issue is an internal dialog between individual member states and the European Commission. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice Olha Stefanishyna to journalists on Friday, UNN correspondent reports.
We understand that the completion of the contract with Russia does not affect the energy security and capacity of the European Union. This decision is in line with the goal of completely abandoning Russian gas by 2027. There is a specific circle of EU countries for which this issue is important, but it is the subject of a dialogue between these countries and the European Commission. If the results of this dialogue are to address Ukraine, we will respond accordingly, but it is impossible to talk about extending the contract, because the contract has expired or no agreements are being made, either on our side or on the side of Brussels
Addendum
Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine stopped on the first day of the New Year, when the transit contract expired.
On January 28, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to block EU aid to Ukraine if Kyiv does not resume Russian gas transit.
At the same time, on February 1, the Slovak Gas Plant (SPP) started importing Russian gas through the Turkish Stream pipeline and plans to double the volume of supplies starting in April.
And Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban statedthat Budapest had received a guarantee from the EU executive body to resume transit through Ukraine and again threatened to veto EU sanctions against Russia when they are due to be renewed in six months if Ukraine has not resumed transit of Russian gas by then.
The Financial Times reportedthat European officials are discussing whether to resume selling Russian pipeline gas to the EU as part of a potential settlement to end the war against Ukraine.