MOSCOW: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday that Moscow is open to negotiations with the European Union regarding natural gas supplies, particularly as the transit agreement with Ukraine is set to expire at the end of 2024.
As per the existing five-year deal established in 2019 between Moscow and Kyiv, Russia transports gas to Europe through Ukraine and compensates Ukraine for the use of its pipeline network.
Despite the commencement of Russia’s war in Ukraine in February 2022, this arrangement has continued, although Russian gas deliveries to Europe have significantly decreased since then.
Recent reports citing Ukraine’s government suggested that Kyiv does not intend to initiate discussions with Moscow on the potential extension of the gas transit agreement.
“If the European Union expresses interest, we are prepared to engage in talks. However, at present, we have not observed such an inclination from their side,” the Deputy PM was cited as saying by the RIA news agency.
