Europe is to endure harsh winters as Russia’s oldest gas export route to Europe shut down by Ukraine. The supply to Europe through Russia’s gas pipeline dating back to Soviet Union times was cut off by Ukraine as a five-year transit deal between Russia and Ukraine expired. Russian company Gazprom confirmed that gas exports via Ukraine to Europe stopped from 08:00 am local time on 01st January. Moscow has transported gas to Europe through Ukraine since 1991.
Shailesh Kumar, National Defence
New Delhi, 01 January 2025
Europe has been using Russian gas despite war in Ukraine from last almost 3 years. Russia has been accused by Europe to have fund its Ukraine war with the same money. Although, European Union had prepared for the shut down and most states could cope; enduring winters for Moldova, would be too hard as it is already suffering shortages.
When Putin was presented with the Russian presidency more than 25 years ago, the annual gas transit through Ukraine to Europe totaled more than 130 billion cubic meters. Today, it equals 0. This is one of Moscow’s biggest defeats.
As a result of Russia weaponizing energy and…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 1, 2025
Russia can still send gas to Hungary, Turkey and Serbia through the TurkStream pipeline across the Black Sea. Though Russia has lost the European market, yet the strategic impact could be larger for Europe. West has also been accusing Russia of using its shadow or dark fleet of tankers that supply gas to Europe despite economic sanctions against Russia.
The Russia gas supply also open a rift in NATO countries. Slovakia, which is now the main entry point of Russian gas into the EU and earned transit fees from piping the gas on to Austria, Hungary and Italy has threatened to stop electricity supply to Ukraine.
Slovakia is ready to pay more for alternative routes; and the burden for inflated gas prices would fall on consumers in 2025.
Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico told media that the end of the deal would have “drastic” consequences for EU countries, but not on Russia. Fico, who had just made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Putin, offered Putin Slovakia a place for peace negotiations. Putin disclosed this information saying it should not offend Mr Fico.
Fico’s statement instigated Ukrainian President Zelensky to accuse Fico of helping Putin “fund the war and weaken Ukraine”. Meanwhile, Poland has offered to support Ukraine in case Slovakia cuts off its electricity supplies. Poland is now importing gas from the US, Qatar and the North Sea. Russia has been accused of weaponizing energy as it targets Ukraine’s power plants come regularly.
European Union, which used to import 40% of its gas from Russia in 2021 has reduced its supply to 10% in 2023. A number of eastern European states still depend largely on the supplies, making Russia earn about €7bn a year. Slovakia and Austria, continued to import significant amounts of gas from Russia. Austria had diversified its gas sources and built up reserves. In December 2024, the European Commission released plans to entirely replace gas transiting through Ukraine as it found alternative LNG sources flowing from Qatar and the US, as well as piped gas from Norway.
Today Gazprom announced that will cease natural gas deliveries to Moldova’s left bank as of 1 January 2025. This is not an energy crisis—it’s a deliberately induced security crisis. Kremlin leaves people in the Transnistrian region without power & heating in the middle of winter.
— Dorin Recean (@DorinRecean) December 28, 2024
Cut in Russian gas supply via Ukraine would affect states like Moldova seriously – which is not part of the European Union or NATO. Maldova also supplies the Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria, a small sliver of land sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine with a population of 300,000. Russian has company Gazprom accused Moldova on falling short on payments. Dorin Recean, Moldova’s prime minister, denied the alleged debt and accused Russia of using “energy as a political weapon” on X.
.@GuvernulRMD strongly condemns these actions and reiterates that we will not recognise any so-called debt invalidated by an international audit.
Moldova stands resolute against Russia’s political pressure and manipulation.
— Dorin Recean (@DorinRecean) December 28, 2024
Stop to Russian gas suppy to Europe will have economic impact on the world.
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