Azerbaijan wants to mediate the maintenance of Russian gas exports to Europe via Ukraine. There are talks with the leadership in Moscow regarding continuing deliveries when the current transit contract between Russia and Ukraine expires at the end of the year, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. “The extension of the contract is possible,” he said. “We will try to help.”
Aliyev stressed that the EU and Ukraine had asked Azerbaijan to help mediate. The five-year contract on Russian gas transit to Europe between Russia and Ukraine ends following December 31, 2024. Ukraine does not want to extend it. However, it has agreed to continue the transit under certain conditions and with the participation of EU companies.
Although Russian gas imports to the European Union have largely stopped due to the war in Ukraine, some EU countries in Central Europe still rely on gas from Russia that flows through Ukraine. Austria gets most of its gas via this route. Currently, around 15 billion cubic meters of Russian gas still flow to Europe annually under the contract, and in 2022 this figure will rise to 150 billion cubic meters.
