“Russia and Ukraine did not reach an agreement, which Azerbaijan tried to broker, regarding the continuation of the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe.”, — write: epravda.com.ua
Russia and Ukraine did not reach an agreement, which Azerbaijan tried to broker, regarding the continuation of the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe. This was reported by the Reuters agency with reference to a high-ranking source in the Azerbaijani energy company SOCAR. The European Union and Ukraine have asked Azerbaijan to facilitate negotiations with Russia on the agreement, which expires at the end of this year. Kremlin leader Putin said on Thursday that concluding a new agreement with Kiev for the transit of gas to Europe is no longer possible.Advertisement: Ukraine, which has been resisting a Russian invasion since February 2022, has announced that it will not renew a contract under which annually through Ukrainian territory about 15 billion cubic meters of Russian gas is transported to Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Thursday that Kyiv could consider continuing the transit of Russian gas, but only on the condition that Russia does not receive payment for it until the end of the war. However, this condition is unlikely to be accepted by Moscow. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal announced that the transit agreement will expire on the morning of January 1, Interfax-Ukraine agency reports. He added that transit can be restored only for non-Russian gas if a corresponding request comes from the European Commission.Advertisement: According to a source in SOCAR, the company acted as a mediator in negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian energy companies at the request of Ukraine and the EU for almost a year. He noted that high-level executives met with representatives of Ukrainian energy companies on May 2 in Istanbul and on August 29 in Vienna, adding: “Ultimately, the Ukrainian and Russian sides could not agree on terms.” Read also: Ukraine still pumps Russian gas and finances the war against itself. Will this continue in 2025? We will remind: Russian gas monopolist Gazprom, in its internal plans for 2025, assumes that gas transit to Europe via Ukraine will no longer be carried out after December 31, 2024. Slovakia will hold a series of negotiations to ensure the supply of Russian gas after the expiration of the current transit contract through Ukraine. The SPP company, the largest energy supplier in Slovakia, has published a declaration of support for gas transit through the territory of Ukraine. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will meet with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday to discuss the possibility of continuing gas supplies through the territory of Ukraine. The contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will no longer exist, but Gazprom will “survive,” Kremlin leader Putin believes. At 7 a.m. on January 1, 2025, the Ukrainian HTS will be able to transport gas only of non-Russian origin.