MOSCOW, December 31. /TASS/. First requests for pumping Russian gas through Ukraine on January 1, 2025 turned out to be zero, which leaves less and less chances of reaching agreements on continuing transit before the New Year, according to the first data on the website of the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine.
According to its data, as of 05:22 p.m. Moscow time (02:22 p.m. GMT), requests for gas transportation through the Sudzha gas metering station in the Kursk region on January 1 fell to zero compared to the previous day. Deliveries through the Sokhranovka station were terminated in 2022 at the initiative of Kiev, allegedly due to force majeure.
Also, requests for gas transportation from Ukraine to Slovakia and Moldova turned out to be zero. That means that neither the gas supplier (Russian Gazprom) nor the buyers (European companies and traders) ordered pumping through Ukraine on the first day of the coming year.
On transit of Russian gas through Ukraine
The agreement on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine expires on the morning of January 1, 2025. It provided for the pumping of 40 billion cubic meters annually. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that there will definitely not be a new contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, since it will not be possible to renew the agreement a couple of days before the New Year. Kiev also announced its intention to stop the transit of Russian gas at 08:00 a.m. Moscow time on January 1.
Howeverm Ukraine is ready to resume supplies through its gas transportation system at the request of the European Commission, if it is not Russian gas, and the Russian president allowed the option of concluding contracts for supplies through third parties - Turkish, Hungarian, Slovak, Azerbaijani companies.
Slovakia and its Prime Minister Robert Fico, who made a working visit to Russia on December 22, have recently shown the greatest interest in continuing gas supplies from Russia. He called on EU leaders to urgently pay attention to Ukraine's decision to stop gas transit, predicting a rapid rise in prices and total losses for the EU of 120 billion euros in 2025-2026 in the event of a loss of supplies from Russia. Fico said Slovakia could take action against Ukraine and allows for the interruption of electricity supplies to Kiev.