Ukraine Halts Russian Natural Gas Transit To Europe

Kyiv: Ukraine on Wednesday stopped the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe following the expiration of a five-year transportation agreement, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said.

"At 07:00 am (0500 GMT), in the interests of national security, the transportation of Russian natural gas through the territory of Ukraine was stopped," the ministry said in a statement. Ukraine has notified its international partners of the termination of the gas transit in line with the established procedures, the statement said.

The Ukrainian gas transportation system has been prepared in advance to operate in a zero transit mode, ensuring reliable gas supply to Ukrainian consumers, it said.

Earlier in the day, Russian energy giant Gazprom said that it has stopped gas supply for transit through Ukraine due to expiration of key agreements and the lack of renewal by the Ukrainian side.

The agreements, signed on December 30, 2019, included a contract between Gazprom and Ukraine's national oil and gas company Naftogaz on the transportation of Russian gas through the Ukrainian territory, and a cooperation agreement between the operators of the two countries' gas transmission systems. These agreements officially expired at 8 am Moscow time (0500 GMT) Wednesday, Gazprom said on Telegram.

Gazprom said Ukraine had repeatedly and unequivocally refused to extend these agreements, leaving the Russian company without the technical and legal means to continue gas transit through Ukraine.