Russia Prepares to Export Gas Without Ukraine
Russia is ready to export natural gas to Europe through other routes, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on December 25. This comes after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the country would not extend a transit agreement for Russian gas.
The current deal is set to expire on December 31. Zelensky had stated that Ukraine would not continue to allow Russia to earn billions of dollars from gas sales through Ukrainian territory, saying “We will not give (Russia) the opportunity to earn additional billions on our blood.”
Several European countries, including Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, and Austria, have expressed concerns about the potential impact on gas supplies. They had urged Ukraine to continue the transit agreement.
Russian officials are confident that Europe relies heavily on Russian natural gas. Novak claimed that Russia’s gas is the most beneficial in terms of logistics and price, adding that Europeans pay more for American gas due to competition from China.
Russia has alternative routes for gas exports, including a planned pipeline through Turkey and liquified natural gas (LNG) shipments by tankers. The Nord Stream pipeline under the Baltic Sea was damaged in 2022 but is not currently operational.
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