European Union leaders are in discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about the future of Russian natural gas transit through Ukraine to the EU, as the current agreement is set to expire on December 31, 2024.
The meeting, which is taking place in Brussels, aims to explore alternatives to Russian gas deliveries. Ukraine has previously stated that it will not negotiate an extension of the current agreement with Russia.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob confirmed there is little chance of extending the deal beyond the end of the year. “Realistically, no,” Golob told Bloomberg when asked about the possibility of an extension.
Russia’s state-owned gas company, Gazprom, has also prepared for a 2025 plan that assumes it will stop sending gas to Europe through Ukraine starting January 1.
Despite Russia halting gas deliveries to many EU countries, some members, including Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, continue to receive Russian gas through the Ukrainian pipeline. Gas supplies have remained stable over the past month, even after Gazprom cut off deliveries to Austria’s OMV in mid-November.
OMV is seeking legal action to enforce an arbitration award against Gazprom over the gas supply dispute. However, other Austrian customers continue to receive Russian gas, and alternative buyers have filled the gap left by OMV.
Earlier this month, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR, began supplying natural gas to Slovakia’s state-owned energy company SPP. This followed a short-term deal between the two companies, marking a step in Slovakia’s preparations for the potential suspension of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine.
Related Topics:
- How Crude Oil and Natural Gas Formed
- How Gas Is Extracted: A Detailed Overview of Natural Gas Extraction
- Is LPG Gas Cheaper Than Mains Gas? A Comprehensive Guide