EU leaders call for 'workable solutions' on gas transit through Ukraine

In a communique from the European Council’s March 6 summit, published on its website, EU leaders stressed the need for "workable solutions" regarding gas transit through Ukraine.

Point 12 of the summit’s conclusions states: "The European Council calls on the Commission, Slovakia and Ukraine to intensify efforts towards finding workable solutions to the gas transit issue, while taking into consideration the concerns raised by Slovakia."

Ukraine has refused to resume Russian gas transit, halted on January 1, 2025, but remains open to transporting non-Russian gas, such as from Azerbaijan.

Slovakia’s SPP holds a contract with Gazprom Export until 2034, with supplies currently rerouted via the TurkStream pipeline bypassing Ukraine.

On January 27, the European Commission pledged to Hungary and Slovakia to continue gas talks with Ukraine in exchange for extending sanctions on Russia.

On January 30, the Financial Times reported that EU nations were allegedly discussing resuming Russian gas purchases via pipelines as part of a potential peace deal for the Russia-Ukraine war, though the commission didn’t confirm a link between transit and peace talks.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Olga Stefanishyna, said Ukraine would fulfill transit duties if the European Commission requests it, but not for Russian gas.