Ukraine's decision to halt the transportation of Russian gas through its territory has become one of the biggest and most costly defeats for Moscow.
This statement was made by White House advisor John Kirby during a briefing, as reported by Ukrinform. According to him, due to this decision, Russia could lose around $6.5 billion annually.
"This will clearly deprive Russia of approximately $6.5 billion in annual revenue from gas sales to Europe. It stands as one of the largest and most expensive defeats for Moscow," he stated.
Kirby added that the U.S. welcomes "Ukraine's decision and its determination." He reminded that when Russian dictator Vladimir Putin first came to power 25 years ago, over 130 billion cubic meters of gas were transported to Europe through Ukraine. Today, that volume is zero.
He noted that the United States is working to increase energy resource supplies to Europe, with 50% of liquefied natural gas imports to Europe coming from the U.S.
Halting the Transit of Russian Gas through Ukraine
On January 1, 2025, at 07:00, Ukraine officially stopped the transportation of natural gas from the Russian Federation through its own gas transportation system. The decision was made in the interest of national security, as reported by the Ministry of Energy.
It was noted that the infrastructure of the gas transportation system was prepared in advance to operate in a zero transit mode while ensuring reliable gas supply for Ukrainian consumers.
Bloomberg reported that in light of this decision, gas prices in Europe are rapidly rising. Although the risks of shortages are minimal, a lack of supplies this winter will make stockpiling more challenging ahead of the next heating season.