Early on New Year’s Day, Russian natural gas deliveries to Europe via Soviet-era pipelines via Ukraine were suspended since a transit arrangement had expired and because Moscow and Kyiv could not agree to keep the flows going.
Ten years of tense ties, which began when Russia seized Crimea in 2014, have come to an end with the closure of Russia’s oldest gas conduit to Europe. The following year, Ukraine ceased purchasing Russian gas.
“We put an end to Russian gas transit. This is a momentous occasion. Russia will lose money since it is losing its markets. In a statement, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said, “Europe has already decided to abandon Russian gas.”
