The supply of Russian gas to EU states via Ukraine has ended after a five-year contract between Ukraine’s gas transit operator Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom expired.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said his country would not allow Russia to “make extra billions from our blood” and gave the EU a year to prepare.
The European Commission said the continent’s gas system is “resilient and flexible” and has sufficient capacity to cope with the end of transit through Ukraine.
Russia can still send gas to Hungary as well as Turkey and Serbia via the TurkStream pipeline across the Black Sea.
Blocking the flow through Ukraine marks the end of the era of cheap Russian gas in the EU.
Slovakia has been the worst affected, while the European Commission says the impact will be limited thanks to careful planning and alternative supplies.
However, the strategic and symbolic implications for Europe as a whole are enormous.
Russia has lost an important market, but its president, Vladimir Putin, says EU countries will suffer the most.
The EU has significantly cut gas imports from Russia since launching its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but a number of eastern member states still rely heavily on the supply, leaving Russia with almost €5bn ($5.2bn; £4.2bn) loss. A year
Russian gas accounted for less than 10 percent of EU gas imports in 2023. According to the block. The figure was 40 percent in 2021.
But several EU members, including Slovakia and Austria, continue to import significant amounts of gas from Russia.
Austria’s energy regulator said it did not foresee any disruption because it has diversified sources and reserves.
But Ukraine’s decision has already raised tensions with Slovakia, which is now the main entry point for Russian gas into the EU and receives transit fees from piping the gas to Austria, Hungary and Italy.
On Friday, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico – who just had a A surprise visit to Moscow Threatens to cut off electricity to Ukraine – to negotiate with Putin
This led Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accuse Fico of helping Putin “fund the war and weaken Ukraine”.
“Fico is dragging Slovakia into Russia’s efforts to inflict more pain on Ukrainians,” the Ukrainian president said.
Poland has offered to help Kiev if Slovakia cuts off its electricity exports – supplies that are crucial to Ukraine, whose power plants come under regular attack from Russia.
Moldova – which is not part of the EU – could be severely affected by the termination of the transit agreement. It generates most of its electricity at a Russian gas-fired power station. It also provided for the Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria, a small piece of land sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine.
Moldova’s energy minister, Constantin Burosan, said his government had taken measures to ensure a stable supply of electricity but urged citizens to conserve energy.
A 60-day state of emergency has been in force in the energy sector since mid-December.
President Maya Sandhu has accused the Kremlin of “blackmail” aimed at destabilizing her country ahead of a possible general election in 2025.
Russia has been supplying gas to Europe through Ukraine since 1991.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU has sought alternative sources of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar and the US, as well as piped gas from Norway.
In December, the European Commission Planned Completely transforming gas transit through Ukraine.