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Gazprom Stops Gas Exports to Europe via Russia – BBC”>Ukraine
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Russia‘s state-owned energy giant Gazprom has confirmed it has halted gas exports to Europe through Ukraine, as a five-year transit deal expired.
The move, announced by Gazprom and confirmed by Ukraine’s energy ministry, comes after months of uncertainty around the future of gas supplies from Russia to Europe. The transit agreement, signed in 2019, expired on December 31, 2024.
"Gas exports via Ukraine have been suspended," Gazprom said in a statement on Wednesday, marking the first time since the Soviet era that Russian gas exports to Europe have been stopped due to a political dispute.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ruled out extending the deal, citing Russia’s ongoing aggression in Eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.
"We do not see the possibility of renewing the contract with Gazprom for the transit of gas through Ukrainian territory," Zelenskyy said in a statement.
Russia, meanwhile, said it would continue exporting gas via the TurkStream pipeline, which bypasses Ukraine and runs under the Black Sea to Turkey and on to Europe.
"It’s a significant development, not just for European energy security, but also for European politics," said an analyst on condition of anonymity. "It’s clear that the relationship between Russia and Europe is changing, and these changes are unlikely to be short-lived."
The halt in gas exports comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and the West, with tensions most recently heightened over Ukraine and Syria.
By Ingrid Hovda Storaas, VG News
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