Title: Ukraine’s President Zelensky: Russia’s Gas Transit Halt "One of Moscow’s Biggest Blows"**
Article:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has hailed the halt of Russian gas transit through his country as a significant setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a New Year’s Day message on his Telegram channel, Zelensky dubbed the end of gas deliveries an "absolute defeat" for Moscow.
"When Putin received power in Russia over two decades ago, annual gas transit via Ukraine to Europe exceeded 130 billion cubic meters. Today, that figure stands at zero. This is one of Russia’s most considerable losses," Zelensky wrote. "Transforming energy into a weapon and manipulating gas supplies, Russia has lost its most desirable and geographically accessible market."
The Ukrainian president hailed Europe’s ability to adapt to the changes, expressing hope for increased imports of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the EU. Zelensky also called for support for Moldova during its energy transition period, stating, "We must withstand the hysteria of some European politicians who prefer corrupt schemes with Moscow over transparent energy policies."
Zelensky added, "The more gas from true European partners on the market, the faster Europe will overcome the remaining negative consequences of its dependence on Russian energy."
On January 1, 2023, Russia’s Gazprom completely halted gas transit through Ukraine after the five-year transit deal with Ukraine’s Naftogaz expired. Gazprom cited Kyiv’s refusal to extend the contract and the lack of technical and legal capacity to continue supplies. The move hit Moldova and its breakaway region of Transnistria hardest, leaving many residents without heat and hot water. Despite challenges, Moldovan authorities remain committed to meeting energy demands through imports from Romania.
With the closure of the longest pipeline route to Europe, Russia’s gas transit now mostly flows through TurkStream and Northern Stream pipelines. However, the halt in Ukrainian transit further underscores Europe’s efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce reliance on Russian gas supplies.
