The disruption of Russian gas
transit through Ukraine represents "one of Moscow's biggest
defeats." Volodymyr Zelensky said. "When Putin gained power in
Russia more than 25 years ago, the annual pumping of gas through
Ukraine to Europe was more than 130 billion meters3. Today,
Russian gas transit is at 0. This is one of Moscow's biggest
defeats," the Ukrainian leader stressed, denouncing the
Russians' "cynical energy blackmail." Kiev and Moscow
confirmed in two separate statements that Russian gas supplies
to Europe through Ukraine have permanently ceased today due to
the expiration of the 5-year contract signed between the parties
at the end of 2019.
"We have stopped Russian gas transit, a historic event.
Russia is losing markets and will suffer financial losses," said
Ukrainian Energy Minister Guerman Galushchenko. "As of 8:00 a.m.
, local time, Russian gas is no longer being supplied for
transit through Ukraine," said Gazprom, the Russian gas giant.
"The EU is well prepared to deal with the end of gas transit
through Ukraine, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the
Commission and member states." The European Commission writes
this in the conclusions of its assessment of the contract stop
between Kiev and Moscow, pointing to alternative supply routes
"to bring the necessary volumes" to Europe via the "4 main
diversification routes, with volumes coming mainly from LNG
terminals in Germany, Greece, Italy and Poland but possibly also
from Turkey." "The disruption of gas transit through Ukraine
will have a drastic impact on all of us in the EU, not just the
Russian Federation," says Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico,
close to the Kremlin, who warns of serious consequences. For
Poland, on the other hand, it is "another victory after the
enlargement of NATO to Finland and Sweden" in 2023 and 2024
Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria has cut off the
supply of heating and hot water to households after Russia cut
off gas supplies through Ukraine, Reuters reports.
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