Russia and Germany discuss new transit contract with Ukraine

Russia is already holding consultations with Germany on concluding a new contract for gas transit with Ukraine after 2024, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters on the sidelines of the Russian Energy Week.

"We are meeting with [Georg Graf] Waldersee, Germany’s representative [on gas transit through Ukraine]. We are already consulting on this situation," he said in response to a question on when negotiations on a new gas transit contract through Ukraine after 2024 will be held.

Novak did not comment on the issues he discussed with Waldersee during a meeting on the sidelines of the forum the day before, on October 14. "I don’t think that it is necessary to make our negotiations public. We are holding consultations," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

The agreement on the supply and transit of gas, which Russia and Ukraine signed in 2019, expires in 2024. Kiev made it clear that they said they would like to conclude a contract for the transit of gas through Ukraine immediately, without waiting for 2024, when the current contract with Gazprom ends. Ukraine believes that this will be a guarantee that transit will continue.