Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, believes that by halting the transit of Russian gas to EU states, Ukraine has deprived Russia of one of its last tools of influence over Europe. Source: Andrii Sybiha on X (Twitter),

Russia has warned that Ukraine's decision not to renew the contract allowing the transit of Russian gas through its territory will jeopardize European economies. In December, Kyiv announced that the agreement negotiated with Russia before the war would expire on January 1,

Russia ceased sending natural gas to Europe through pipelines in Ukraine Wednesday, after Kyiv refused to renew a prewar transit contract with Russia's state-owned Gazprom. The closure of the Soviet-era pipelines effectively ends "decades of Moscow's dominance over Europe's energy markets,

The first victims of the new phase of the gas crisis are the residents of pro-Russian Transnistria, with Slovakia and Hungary also potentially facing difficulties. However, it doesn't stop there. The issue of halting the transit of Russian gas through the Ukrainian pipeline could become a bargaining chip in talks about Ukraine's future and a

Russia can no longer use energy as a weapon, the minister said on X, adding, "Europe and the world will be safer without Russian gas, oil, and other dependencies — as well as without Russia itself." Read also: Naftogaz chief: Gas storage operations in Ukraine continue despite Russian strikes Termination of Russian gas transit from Jan.

Ukraine has officially halted the transit of Russian gas to Europe after a key deal with Moscow expired. European nations have prepared alternative supply routes to mitigate disruptions, with imports of liquefied natural gas and pipeline gas from non-Russian sources increasing significantly.