The European Union is ready to stop the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine and does not expect a deficit on the domestic market. This was stated by the European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, noting that gas reserves in EU countries have reached 95%, which will help avoid fuel shortages and control prices in the event of a supply cutoff.

Despite a significant reduction in Russian gas supplies since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the EU continues to receive "impressive volumes" of Russian fuel, Simson said.

"We currently receive 18% of our gas from Russia, while in 2021 this figure reached 45%," - She clarified.

However, even with this decline in supplies, Russia remains a significant energy supplier to Europe.

The EU Commissioner also acknowledged that EU countries have increased their imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia in recent months. She added that Russian gas import volumes in 2024 are likely to exceed 2023 levels, despite efforts to diversify sources and switch to alternative routes and suppliers.

Meanwhile, the current agreement on gas transit through Ukraine expires at the end of 2024. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that they do not intend to extend the agreement, which could lead to a complete cessation of Russian gas transit through the country.