Austria received an official notification from the Russian side about the termination of gas transit. He writes about it Reuters. Russia has announced that by the end of 2024 it will stop supplying gas to Europe through Ukraine. This gas pipeline, which has been operating since the time of the USSR, was one of the key routes for the delivery of Russian gas to European consumers.
Ukraine has already announced its decision not to extend the transit agreement with Gazprom to reduce Russian revenues that could be used to finance the war. The suspension of supply will primarily affect Austria, which was the largest recipient of gas via the Ukrainian route. In the future, only Hungary and Slovakia will receive significant volumes of Russian gas.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Neghammer noted that such a situation was predictable, and the country had prepared in advance for a possible shutdown. According to him, gas reserves in Austria are sufficiently full, and no Austrian family will be left without heat. Energy company OMV has also announced its willingness to offset supplies through partners in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
The European Union continues to strengthen energy independence by expanding its supply of liquefied natural gas from the United States and other suppliers. After the sharp reduction of Russian gas in 2022, European countries are actively looking for new sources of energy. The US has already become the largest producer of gas in the world, and increasing supplies of liquefied gas from its side is helping to reduce Europe’s energy dependence on Russia.
The announcement of the cessation of transit of Russian gas coincided with a telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The Kremlin has said it is ready to discuss energy deals if Germany shows interest, but the EU is determined to find alternative sources of supply and further energy independence.
