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Fico to convince Ukraine to keep gas transit after 2024

Ukraine has categorically rejected extending the contract with Gazprom for transit through its gas transportation system, which expires at the end of 2024.
byMaria Tril
05/10/2024
2 minute read
Fico to convince Ukraine to keep gas transit after 2024

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico plans to persuade Ukraine to continue gas transit after 2024, when the current agreement between Ukraine and Russian state company Gazprom expires, reports Aktuality.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian natural gas was exported to European Union countries through pipelines crossing Ukrainian territory. After the invasion, most countries, except Slovakia and Austria, shut down gas transit through Ukraine to decrease their reliance on Russian energy. However, Slovakia’s gas transit agreement expires at the end of 2024.

Fico expressed concern about potential gas supply issues for Slovakia starting in 2025, as the country receives gas via Ukraine. He said he would urge Kyiv to maintain transit at an intergovernmental meeting on 7 October.

“We will convince our Ukrainian partners to use their energy infrastructure to import gas and oil to Europe… If it (Ukraine) wants to preserve this infrastructure, it needs to be used,” Fico said.

The Slovak leader said that his country supports Ukraine’s European integration and expects “friendly gestures from Ukraine,” adding that countries would “benefit from this, as transit fees are paid.”

Fico talks about “preserving transit” without mentioning Russian gas specifically.

Ukraine has categorically rejected extending the contract with Gazprom for transit through its gas transportation system, which expires at the end of 2024. This challenges the few EU countries, including Slovakia and Austria, that are still receiving Russian gas via pipeline.

Earlier media reports suggested discussions about maintaining transit to Europe through Ukraine’s gas transportation system, with European companies potentially purchasing gas from Azerbaijan. In July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned such negotiations with Baku.

However, an anonymous government source told European Pravda in September that no such talks are currently underway.

“If Hungary or Slovakia, exclusively with the support of the European Commission, following our Association Agreement, ask us to transport, for example, Azerbaijani gas, we will have no grounds to refuse them,” the source clarified.

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