Russia loses key leverage over Europe after Ukraine halts gas transit, FM Sybiha says
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Jan. 2 that halting the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine has stripped the Kremlin of one of its remaining tools to pressure European nations.
Ukraine terminated Russian natural gas transit through its territory on Jan. 1. Kyiv repeatedly warned it would not renew the transit agreement to avoid financing Russia’s war.
"Ukraine has cut off more than just Russian gas transit. We have cut off some of Putin’s last remaining leverage over Europe, and his use of energy as a weapon," Sybiha posted on X.
He added that Europe and the world would be safer without Russian energy dependencies.
The decision comes amid a significant reduction in European reliance on Russian gas following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Slovakia and Hungary remain dependent on Russian supplies. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico have opposed Ukraine's decision.
The halt also caused a major gas outage in Moldova's Russian-occupied Transnistria region, which relied on transit through Ukraine, according to its gas supplier Tiraspoltransgaz-Pridnestrovie.
The move reflects Ukraine’s broader strategy to weaken Russia’s economic influence and reduce its ability to use energy as a weapon against Europe.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
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