Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Ukraineโs gas transmission system ceased transporting Russian gas. The transit of natural gas from the Sudzha entry point on Ukraineโs eastern border to exit points on its western and southern borders has been terminated.
This wasย announcedย in a statement by Ukraineโs Gas Transmission System Operator (GTSOU).
The transit agreement with Russiaโs Gazprom expired at 7 a.m. Kyiv time on Jan. 1, 2025.
GTSOU CEO Dmytro Lippa stated that the company had prepared its infrastructure in advance to operate without Russian gas and to ensure reliable supply to Ukrainian consumers.
He noted that the companyโs team is ready to operate under the new conditions. GTSOU also secured agreements to increase capacity for importing gas into Ukraine and transporting it to European consumers. Additionally, the operator optimized unused assets within the gas transmission system.
โIn 2024, Ukraine for the first time secured guaranteed increased capacity in the southern directionโthis is the Vertical Corridorโas well as guaranteed capacity from Poland,โ the statement read.
Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said on the national television that all necessary preparations for the system had been completed by GTSOU, ensuring Ukraine is โfully prepared to operate the system without Russian gas transit.โ
On Jan. 1, the Energy Ministry reported that at 7 a.m., Ukraine, in the interest of national security, stopped Russian gas transit through its territory. Kyiv notified international partners accordingly.
End of Russian gas transit through Ukraine
The transit agreement between Gazprom and Naftogaz for Russian gas through Ukraine expired on Jan. 1, 2025. Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had stated that Kyiv would not extend the agreement.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called Ukraineโs decision to halt Russian gas transit from Jan. 1 not just a political gesture but a โhighly costly decision,โ which he claimed would ultimately impact the European Union.
Reacting to the transit shutdown, Fico, who visited Moscow on Dec. 22 for talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, threatened to stop electricity supplies during periods of energy shortages in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy responded to Ficoโs threats, stating that Putin had tasked him with opening a โsecond energy frontโ at the expense of the Slovak peopleโs interests.
On Dec. 29, Fico wrote an open letter to European Council President Antรณnio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, complaining about Ukraineโs refusal to extend Russian gas transit in 2025.
Via โ the new voice of Ukraine
