The suspension of Russian gas transit through Ukraine will lead to a deepening of the energy crisis in Europe and a further increase in energy prices. This opinion was expressed to a TASS correspondent by Steffen Cotre, a Bundestag deputy from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party group and a member of the parliamentary committee on energy and climate protection.
„The suspension of transit will weaken the European Economic Area as a whole, will lead to a further increase in energy prices and will worsen the energy crisis“, said Cotre.
„The European economy depends on Russian gas as a cheap energy source, which guarantees long-term security of supply and the competitiveness of the European Economic Area“, he said. According to Cotre, his party continues to “advocate for the earliest possible resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe“.
The consequences of the decision to suspend gas transit through Ukraine, as the MP stated, will primarily affect Europe, not Russia. In particular, damage will be suffered by Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which are facing serious problems due to the suspension of gas supplies, he emphasized.
The MP said that the decision to suspend gas transit threatens the security of supplies for European countries and increases Europe's dependence on expensive imports of liquefied natural gas. He explained that his party considers this step “unilateral and short-sighted”.
On January 1, the transit of Russian gas to Europe through the territory of Ukraine was completely stopped due to Kiev's refusal to extend the agreement with "Gazprom". The Russian company reported that the refusal of the Ukrainian side deprived the holding of the technical and legal opportunity to deliver fuel along this route. Data from European gas transport operators confirm the suspension of supplies to Austria, Italy, Moldova, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in this direction.
Meanwhile, the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Alexander Dubinsky, who is in pre-trial detention on suspicion of treason, asked the leader of the "Batkivshchyna" party Yulia Tymoshenko, the former prime minister of the country, about the suspension of transit.
„I would really like to hear the position on the transit of Russian gas from our „gas princess“ Yulia Tymoshenko. Yulia Vladimirovna, you call yourself a gas specialist - tell us, how will all this affect the accounts of Ukrainians?– – the deputy asked on his Telegram channel.