MOSCOW, November 15. /TASS/. Ukraine is not holding any negotiations on the transit of Russian or any other gas through its pipeline system after the contract with Gazprom expires on December 31, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said in response to the request of the Verkhovna Rada deputy Maksim Khlapuk about the possibility of Azerbaijan acting as an intermediary in gas supplies from Russia to Europe.
"The Energy Ministry is not conducting negotiations on this issue, and has not authorized any officials to negotiate the continuation of the transit of Russian or any other natural gas after the expiration of the agreement, which expires on December 31, 2024," according to a statement Rada deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak published on his Telegram channel.
The agreement between Gazprom and Naftogaz on the transit of Russian gas to Europe expires on December 31. Kiev has repeatedly stated that it will not hold negotiations on its extension. However, a number of Ukrainian and Western media outlets have previously written that a third party could act as an intermediary in fuel supplies to European markets, which would buy gas from Russia and then supply it through Ukrainian pipelines to Europe as its own. Azerbaijan was mentioned as such an intermediary.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry added that it did not take part in negotiations with Italy, Slovakia and Austria, which continue to receive gas from Russia, "on the continuation of the transit of Russian gas through the gas transportation system of Ukraine after December 31, 2024 or the transit of Azerbaijani natural gas."
The average gas purchase price in October in Europe was $ 456 per 1,000 cubic meters, and in November it is so far about $ 472. Earlier this week, the cost of gas on the European exchange exceeded $ 500 per 1,000 cubic meters for the first time since November 2023 in particular amid increased withdrawal from underground storage facilities.