Source: Politico
“A controversial deal that allows Central European nations to buy Russian gas via Ukraine will soon end, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Thursday, even as Kremlin-friendly European Union leaders scrambled to ensure their continued access to cheap fuel. Speaking at his annual marathon press conference, the Russian strongman said the transit agreement would be allowed to expire at the end of the year without a clear alternative in place. … Ukraine has refused to directly renegotiate the deal and has instead offered its own domestic gas production as an alternative for its neighbors. At the same time, at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ‘we would not prolong the transit of Russian gas’ past the terms of the contract.” (12/19/24)