MOSCOW, January 1. /TASS/. Russian gas transit to Europe through Ukraine completely stopped at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time (5:00 a.m. GMT), according to data from European gas transmission system operators.
Earlier, Russia’s gas giant Gazprom said that Kiev’s refusal to extend a gas transit deal with Moscow had forced the Russian company to stop gas transit at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time on January 1.
Data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) shows that gas transit via Ukraine to Slovakia and the Czech Republic on the border with Slovakia has fully stopped. Gas supplies to Moldova from Ukraine have also halted almost completely.
Gas transit to Austria through the Baumgarten hub on the border with Slovakia, which is designed to transport gas from Russia and Norway, has dropped by more than three times at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time, according to data from ENTSOG and Austria’s AGGM. Gas transportation to Italy through a gas metering station on the border with Switzerland has decreased 2.5-fold.
Meanwhile, gas flows through stations on the borders of Turkey and Bulgaria (the onshore part of the TurkStream pipeline), Hungary and Serbia, as well as Romania and Moldavia, remain stable, which makes it clear that Russian gas supplies to Eurooe have not been rerouted.
A Russia-Ukraine gas transit deal provided for the transit of 40 bln cubic meters of Russian gas through Ukraine annually. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier that there would definitely be no new contract for Russian gas transit because it’s not possible to make an agreement just days before the New Year. Kiev, in turn, announced plans to stop Russian gas transit.
However, Ukraine is ready to resume gas transit based on a request from the European Commission as long as gas is not considered as "Russian," while the Russian president pointed to the possibility of contracts with third parties, namely Turkish, Hungarian, Slovak and Azerbaijani companies.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed the most interest in continued Russian gas supplies. On December 22, Fico made a visit to Russia. He warned that the cost to the European Union could reach 120 billion euros in 2025-2026 from higher gas prices resulting from Ukraine’s move to end Russian gas transit. Fico also said that Slovakia could take reciprocal measures against Ukraine, particularly halting back-up electricity supplies to Kiev.