Ukraine Will Not Extend Russian Gas Transit Agreement in 2024

Ukraine will not extend the agreement with Russia regarding the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, which is set to expire at the end of 2024, but is prepared to discuss the transit of gas through its territory with other suppliers if Europe requests it.

"No one is going to extend the agreement with Russia, that’s the end of it. As for the transit of gas from other suppliers, then if there is demand from some of our European partners – we’re all in the European Union – we will consider their request," Ukrainian President Volosymyr Zelenskyy said.

He also said he did not have information about the recent meeting of Russian and Azerbaijani leaders.

"I have no idea what [Russian leader Vladimir Putin] was discussing in Azerbaijan. I don’t think it was gas. I think there are other issues," Zelenskyy said.

At the end of July, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that his country is in negotiations with Russia regarding the possibility of continuing the transit of natural gas through Ukraine, as the current Russian-Ukrainian contract is set to expire in 2024.

Oleksii Chernyshov, Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz, commented on this statement, noting that the EU and Ukraine are exploring ways to ensure stable gas supplies to Europe after the expiration of the Ukrainian-Russian transit contract in 2024. One potential solution could be the supply of Azerbaijani gas.

olodymyr