Kyiv Aware and Agrees to Temporary Replacement of Azerbaijani Gas with Russian Gas

The Ukrainian government clarified the country’s position on the transportation of Russian gas to Europe via Azerbaijan. With Baku’s involvement, both countries are negotiating the continuation of Russian gas transit and the supply of Azerbaijani gas through Russia and Ukraine to Europe.

According to a source in Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, who spoke with “European Pravda,” the Ukrainian government is aware that a substitution scheme is being implemented under the guise of Azerbaijani gas transit: Azerbaijan is purchasing Russian gas for its own use to free up volumes for export to the EU. The source explained that Kyiv understands the current substitution of Russian imports to Europe with Azerbaijani gas is largely a formality to avoid directly buying gas from Russia, and that Russian gas may be mixed with Azerbaijani gas.

“We understand that at least part of this gas could be Russian. And this contradicts our policy of promoting a complete ban on Russian gas in Europe. However, this step was forced, and we took it at the request of the European Commission,” the source from “EuroPravda” stated. According to the source, the European Commission “finds it more comfortable to pretend they are purchasing gas from Azerbaijan, not Russia.”

However, Ukraine has agreed to this concession only as a temporary measure. “We understand that the EU needs time to fully wean itself off Russian gas. And we are taking this step to facilitate this transition for the EU,” the government source noted.

In July 2024, Ukraine and the European Union approached Azerbaijan with a proposal to supply natural gas to Europe via Ukraine after the current contract with Russia for transit expires at the end of the year. EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson recently stated that the EU is ready to completely stop importing from Moscow.

On September 8, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed widespread accusations against his country regarding the transportation of Russian gas to Europe. Speaking at the International Forum in Chernobbio, Aliyev explained that Ukraine, Russia, and the EU had approached Azerbaijan to maintain the transit of Russian gas through Russian and Ukrainian territory.

“It is known that if the transit stops — which is expected in December — several European Union countries will face serious difficulties in accessing natural gas. We simply want to support these countries and Ukraine because if gas transit halts, Ukraine’s gas distribution system will be completely paralyzed,” he added.

These statements served as a definitive response to numerous accusations by Armenian politicians, who claimed that Azerbaijan was deceiving the West by passing off Russian gas exported to Europe as its own, extracted from Azerbaijani fields.

In 2024, Azerbaijan’s natural gas exports will reach 25 billion cubic meters, of which 13 billion cubic meters will be supplied to Europe, President Aliyev announced in July 2024 at the 4th European Political Community summit in Oxford.