MOSCOW: Russia’s top energy official has dismissed the idea that Azerbaijani gas could be transported to Europe through Ukraine after the current transit agreement between Moscow and Kyiv expires at the end of 2024.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Wednesday that there were no discussions underway to replace Russian gas with Azerbaijani gas via Ukraine, citing logistical limitations.
“Firstly, there are no such proposals, and secondly, I do not think that the gas transport infrastructure is set up for this,” Novak told the Interfax news agency when asked about the possibility.
The 2019 gas transit agreement, which has allowed Russian gas to be piped to Europe via Ukraine, has been a critical source of income for both Moscow and Kyiv. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously stated that Ukraine does not intend to renew the deal once it expires.
In July, Zelensky mentioned that discussions about using gas from Azerbaijan were on the table but did not provide further details. Transporting Azerbaijani gas through Ukraine would likely require pipelines running through Russian territory, as the two countries do not share a direct border.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also confirmed in late July that the European Union and Kyiv had approached him to mediate talks with Moscow to potentially secure a new deal.
Europe has significantly reduced its reliance on Russian gas since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In the aftermath, EU leaders have sought new energy partnerships, looking to countries like Azerbaijan to diversify supplies.
Several of Russia’s primary gas transit routes to Europe have been shut down or damaged since the war began, including the Nord Stream pipelines, which were destroyed in September 2022. Despite the conflict, Russia continues to supply gas to Europe through the Sudzha entry point, currently controlled by Ukraine.
