**Ukraine Stopped Russian Gas Transit on Jan. 1**
On January 1, Ukraine stopped transporting Russian natural gas through its territory. This is according to a statement from the Operator of Ukraine’s Gas Transmission System.
The operator said that Ukraine’s gas transportation system is now operating without Russian gas transit. Russia had been paying Ukraine to carry its gas through Ukrainian pipelines as part of a deal made in 2019.
**Why Did Ukraine Stop Transit?**
Ukraine didn’t want to finance Russia’s war, so it stopped the gas transit agreement when it expired at the end of 2024. The country repeatedly warned that it wouldn’t extend the agreement beyond 2024.
As a result, the last entry point for Russian gas in the Ukrainian-held border town of Sudzha stopped working. This meant that no more Russian gas could be transported through Ukraine to other countries.
**What Happens Next?**
Many European countries have already reduced their use of Russian gas due to Russia’s full-scale war and Ukraine’s decision not to extend the transit agreement. However, some landlocked Central European countries like Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria still rely on Russian gas.
Slovakia even threatened to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv didn’t change its mind about stopping Russian gas transit. Poland has also offered to step in and help.
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