On Thursday 30 January, European Commission spokesperson, Paula Pinho, reaffirmed that the European Union “maintains its objective of phasing out Russian gas imports”, in response to an article in the Financial Times published that morning, reporting that EU representatives had raised the idea of resuming Russian gas imports via pipeline as part of a potential peace agreement with Ukraine.
“We do not confirm any links reported in the article between the transit of gas through Ukraine and any peace talks”, she said.
Since 1 January, Russian gas no longer transits through Ukraine following the end of the agreement between the Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz and the Russian giant Gazprom, which has not been extended (see EUROPE 13565/5).
The Financial Times article states that the idea of resuming pipeline imports, which are cheaper than liquefied natural gas (LNG), was endorsed by “some German and Hungarian officials, with support from other capitals that saw it as a way of reducing European energy costs”.
This discussion took place at a time when the Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, who is highly critical of the end of the transit agreement, was expected back in Brussels for talks with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, “to take stock of the situation” (see EUROPE 13567/29).
In the end, the meeting was cancelled due to a technical problem with airspace control at Brussels-Zaventem airport, forcing Mr Fico’s plane to turn back towards Slovakia. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)