The European Union is gearing up for the possible termination of Russian gas supplies after the transit contract between Ukraine and the Russian Federation is set to expire at the end of 2024.
Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy, addressed this potential scenario during a briefing in Kyiv.
As reported by European Truth, Commissioner Simson emphasized the significance of the upcoming expiration of the gas transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine, prompting the EU to align its strategies with Ukraine to manage the transition effectively.
Years of Preparation
Commissioner Simson remarked on the EU's longstanding apprehensions about reliability, noting, "We knew that Russia was not a reliable supplier of gas, and all our risk assessments were designed in such a way that Europe could be without supplies of Russian gas at any moment."
The EU's preparation follows escalated tensions after Russia's full-scale military aggression against Ukraine in 2022, which led to a large-scale energy crisis across Europe.
In response, EU member states were advised to curtail gas consumption—a measure that was extended into 2023.
Through concerted efforts to reduce gas usage, the EU successfully phased out approximately 65 billion cubic meters of Russian gas last year, primarily affecting the household and industrial sectors.
These actions not only alleviated some of the immediate strain on energy supplies but also strengthened the EU's overall energy resilience.
In a continued effort to bolster energy security, the EU issued an official recommendation in March this year to further reduce gas consumption by 15%.
