Bill to ban Russian oil transit registered in Ukrainian parliament
On January 7, the Verkhovna Rada registered Bill No. 12380, which seeks to ban the transit of Russian oil and gas through Ukraine during martial law. The bill was introduced by the opposition faction European Solidarity, led by Petro Poroshenko.
The text of the bill has not yet been published.
Lawmakers also submitted Resolution No. 12381, urging the Cabinet of Ministers to take immediate steps to halt the transit of Russian oil in the interest of Ukraine's national security.
The proposed law would directly prohibit the transit of Russian oil through Ukraine's transport infrastructure, including the Druzhba pipeline, co-author Iryna Herashchenko wrote.
The Ukrainian government would be tasked with developing a mechanism and timetable for the complete cessation of oil transit within three months of the law's enactment.
Exceptions would only apply to obligations under international agreements or decisions by the EU.
The resolution requires the government to:
- present a transit cessation plan within 30 days of adoption,
- assess the economic, social, and environmental impacts on Ukraine, and provide a report,
- coordinate actions with international partners to avoid negative diplomatic or economic consequences.
As of January 1, 2025, Ukraine ceased the transit of Russian gas following the expiration of a five-year contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz.
However, the oil transit agreement remains valid for another five years. In 2019, Ukrtransnafta and Russia's Transneft extended the contract for 10 years, from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2030.
On December 5, 2022, the EU implemented a partial embargo on Russian oil imports, but the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline—supplying Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic—was exempted.
While the Czech Republic plans to stop importing Russian oil in 2025, Hungary and Slovakia have made no such announcements.