Ukraine to facilitate Azerbaijani gas transit to EU amid Russian supply halt
Ukraine is forging ahead with plans to facilitate gas transit from Azerbaijan to the EU, contingent on a specific condition.
According to Georgiy Tykhiy, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the gas will be distinctly of Azerbaijani origin, not falsely sourced from another country.
Tykhiy emphasized that the EU has enough potential supply sources aside from Russia. The government is actively exploring possibilities to route Azerbaijani gas through Ukraine to Europe following the halt of Russian gas transit, said Tykhiy during a briefing on February 7.
Tykhiy reaffirmed the ongoing efforts on this issue, clarifying that the focus is solely on Azerbaijani gas deliveries under its true denomination.
"To clear up any misunderstandings, I can confirm that this is not about transporting gas under the guise of Azerbaijani origin. It is indeed Azerbaijani gas in question," Tykhiy asserted.
He also addressed the remarks made by Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is pressing for the resumption of Russian gas transit via Ukraine.
“We believe that the Slovak government ought to have ensured resource supply diversification and energy security, similar to other European nations, even before the current situation unfolded. Complaining now about unmet energy resource demands is unhelpful,” Tykhiy remarked.
He reminded that the EU has ample options to procure energy from non-Russian sources, particularly the U.S. and other partners, urging a pivot away from Russian dependency.
"Because Russia gives nothing for free. If they offer cheaper gas, the remaining price is paid in sovereignty. Ukraine has suffered through this in its history, which is why we advocate that nations should not exchange their sovereignty for energy resources," said Tykhiy.
On January 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced preparations for sourcing gas from Azerbaijan to the EU. He noted that stopping Russian gas transit via Ukraine as of January 1, 2025, infringes neither legal nor ethical standards, and Kyiv maintains friendly ties with Azerbaijan, ready to channel their resources to Europe.
On January 30, the Financial Times reported, citing sources, that the European Union is discussing gas transit through Ukraine as a potential condition in a peace deal with Russia.