Key takeaways
- Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced that the country will not renew its gas transit agreement with Russia in 2024.
- The measure is intended to limit Russian energy revenues, which Kiev says are funding the ongoing war.
- Shmyhal urged European countries to completely stop importing oil and gas from Russia.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal recently announced that the country will not renew its gas transit agreement with Russia when it expires in 2024. This decision was announced during a joint press conference with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Shmyhal stated that this move is part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to limit Russian energy revenues, which Kiev says are being used to finance the ongoing war. He stressed the importance of imposing sanctions on Russian gas and depriving the Kremlin of profits from hydrocarbon sales.
Influence on Europe
Failure to renew the transit deal, which allows Russian gas to flow to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines, could have a major impact on the European energy landscape, especially for countries still heavily dependent on Russian supplies. Shmyhal urged European countries to completely stop importing oil and gas from Russia and called for a united front against Russian energy exports.
He acknowledged that some countries, such as Slovakia and Hungary, face challenges due to their dependence on Russian gas. However, he expressed confidence in a gradual diversification of energy sources for these countries.
A commitment from Ukraine
Despite the decision of Ukraine not to renew the transit agreement, Shmyhal confirmed that Ukraine adheres to its international obligations under agreements such as the Association Agreement with the European Union and the Energy Charter Treaty. This commitment was recently called into question by Ukraine’s blocking of Russia’s “Friendship” oil pipeline, which supplies oil to Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
This action threatened an energy crisis in Central and Eastern Europe, prompting these countries to call on Ukraine to reverse its decision. Ukraine’s actions have also drawn criticism from Hungarian officials, who say Ukraine is punishing them for their support for peace and undermining their energy security.
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