Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Commission will continue talks with Ukraine on natural gas supplies to Europe and will include Slovakia and Hungary in these discussions, an EU diplomat told Reuters.
As reported by Reuters, the statement was provided to EU ambassadors ahead of a gathering of foreign affairs ministers who will examine the rollover of Russia sanctions, which must be revived every six months.
“The Commission is ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine,”
According to the statement.
“The Commission is ready to associate Hungary in the process along with Slovakia.”
When did Ukraine cut off supplies to Europe?
On January 1, 2025, Ukraine officially shut off Russian gas transit across its territory. The company carried out the move after five-year transit agreements with Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned gas company, expired. It marks a new twist in the European energy landscape, with decades-long reliance on pipelines across Ukrainian territory coming to an end.
The Ukrainian government, under the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky, chose not to renew the transit contract, with the president explaining that allowing Russia to continue shipping gas would only allow it “to generate extra billions on our suffering” during ongoing military conflict. Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko confirmed that the cessation was in the interest of national security.
What does Ukraine’s gas decision mean for Eastern Europe?
The immediate implications are for several of the Eastern European countries that had relied on Russian gas. The EU has been trying to reduce its dependency on Russian energy sources, and countries like Slovakia and Hungary have been the most vulnerable to supply disruptions. The European Commission has said it is ready for this shift since it has diversified alternative gas sources with routes from Germany and Italy, besides increasing imports of liquefied natural gas.
