Ukraine has terminated a contract to transport Russian gas through its territory, causing major impacts on the European economy and making the United States the main beneficiary, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
By refusing to extend its contract with Gazprom beyond 2024, Kiev not only cuts off the flow of Russian gas to countries like Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia, but also deprives itself of nearly $1 billion in transit fees each year.
“The US is the biggest beneficiary of the redistribution of energy markets in Europe, and at the same time is the main sponsor of the Ukrainian crisis,” RT quoted Ms. Zakharova as saying on January 2.
This move, she said, is part of Washington's strategy to dominate Europe. "The first victim is Europe's largest economy, Germany," she stressed, referring to the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline bombing that forced Germany to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States at much higher prices, causing great damage to its industries.
Now, other EU countries will also pay a heavy price for US “patronage”, Ms Zakharova said, stressing that European governments have “sacrificed the prosperity of their people to serve US economic interests”.
Ukraine's gas blockade, despite Gazprom fulfilling its contractual obligations and paying the price, has pushed European energy prices to their highest in more than a year and sent the euro to its lowest level against the dollar since November 2022.
Although Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico warned of “serious consequences” from Ukraine’s decision, some officials such as Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski saw it as a “new victory” after NATO expansion.
Kiev, meanwhile, has described the termination of the contract as a “historic event” that deprives Russia of its traditional market. But the price has come not only from a slump in the domestic economy but also widespread anger in European countries, who now face ever more expensive winters.
