“Ukraine does not plan to halt the transit of Russian oil to the EU”, – Shmyhal

Ukraine does not plan to halt the transit of Russian oil to the EU.

This information according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal during a government Q&A session in the Verkhovna Rada.

He stated that such an action would violate the Energy Charter Treaty and the Association Agreement with the EU.

“Stopping the transit of oil through the Druzhba pipeline would be a direct violation by Ukraine of the Energy Charter Treaty and the EU Association Agreement… Such a breach of Ukraine’s international obligations on transit security could serve as sufficient grounds for holding Ukraine accountable for halting reliable and uninterrupted oil transit. This could include potential claims from Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, along with corresponding financial demands,” the statement reads.

It is worth noting that Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas as of January 1, choosing not to renew an expired agreement.

Following the cessation of gas transit and amid colder weather, gas prices in Europe have reached their highest level since October 2023.