The European Union announced its readiness to stop using Russian gas, which is transported through Ukraine, after the expiration of the current contract in December of this year. This was reported by the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, transmits “Interfax-Ukraine”.
Simson emphasized that the EU is actively preparing for the situation when the transit contract between Ukraine and Russia will be completed by the end of December. According to her, European countries have already found alternative sources of gas supply. Companies that still receive fuel from Russia have been given two additional years to adapt to the changes.
The European Commissioner emphasized that Ukraine’s gas transport infrastructure is an integral part of the European energy system, as part of the European reserves are stored in Ukrainian storage facilities. She also noted that Ukraine itself is a gas producer, which makes it important for the EU.
Kadri Simson said that it is not worth looking for new ways to continue trading with Russia’s Gazprom, as alternative supplies are already available. She emphasized that the European Union is actively cooperating with states that are still dependent on Russian gas to convince them to switch to more reliable sources.
According to Simson, as of June 2024, the share of Russian gas in the EU has decreased from 45% in 2021 to 18%. At the same time, imports from partners such as Norway and the USA increased significantly. She also added that from August 2022 to May 2024, the EU reduced gas demand by 138 billion cubic meters.
The European Union reached its target of filling gas storages by 90% on August 19, 2024, more than two months ahead of schedule. This made it possible to stabilize energy prices, which are now significantly lower than during the energy crisis of 2022. Currently, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria remain the only EU countries that continue to buy Russian gas.
