Sergiy Makogon headed the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) from its inception in 2019 until September 2022. In December 2019, he participated in the signing of the current transit agreement between Naftogaz and Gazprom as part of the Ukrainian delegation.

That contract for the transit of Russian gas was signed for five years and is due to expire on January 1, 2025. Makogon has consistently advocated for the termination of gas transit through the Ukrainian GTS, even if the contract is signed not with Russian Gazprom but with Azerbaijan's SOCAR or another contractor. In fact, Ukraine will continue to pump Russian gas, no matter who owns it on paper.

The same applies to the transit of Russian oil through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which passes through Ukraine. Makogon suggests stopping it or exchanging the preservation of transit for strategic concessions from Russia. After all, it is Russia that has a vested interest in maintaining oil and gas transit through Ukraine in order to maintain access to the European market.

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NaftogazGTSOUgas transitoil transit