End of an era: Russian oil and gas transit through Ukraine to cease

Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, announced in an interview with the portal Nowyny that the transit of Russian gas and oil through Ukraine via the Druzhba pipeline will cease starting January 2025.LIVE.

- Besides (transit - PAP) gas, the Druzhba pipeline will also cease operations from January 1, 2025 – announced Podolyak in an interview published late Thursday night Eastern Time.

According to his information, countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have so far used Russian oil transported through this pipeline. However, according to a European Union resolution, these countries must diversify their energy supplies and stop transit through Ukraine.

This also applies to gas – reminded Podolyak, adding that although the contracted quantities of gas will be transported until the end of 2024, the transit will end on January 1, 2025. Podolyak also noted that if European customers need gas from Kazakhstan or Azerbaijan, Ukraine is ready to transport it through its territory.

According to Podolyak, Ukraine does not intend to extend the gas transit agreement with Russia, which expires at the end of 2024. However, it is open to discussions regarding the transit of gas from other suppliers through the Ukrainian transit system if Europe expresses such a need.