Kyiv has finally turned off Russia’s gas supply to Europe, ending a source of income that helped pay for Moscow’s war against Ukraine. The decades-old deal, which allowed the transit of natural gas produced by Russian energy giant Gazprom through Ukraine, ended at midnight on December 31, shutting down Russia’s last major gas corridor to Europe.

Moldovans are bracing for a difficult winter ahead as a looming energy shortage could leave them without enough energy.

Russia’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom says it will halt gas supplies to Moldova starting on Jan. 1, citing alleged unpaid debt by the east European country.

Ukraine, which had allowed Russian oil and gas to cross its territory to serve Europe while fighting Moscow’s invasion since 2022, refused to renew the deal.

The Russian gas company Gazprom on Saturday said it will no longer supply natural gas to Moldova in the new year, blaming the country's alleged debts. Gazprom said the country's gas company Moldovagaz "regularly fails to fulfil its payment obligations under the existing contract,

Even while at war, Ukraine piped Russian gas to Europe. Moscow earned an estimated $5 billion in 2024, while Ukraine raked in up to $1 billion in fees.

Gazprom said Moldovagaz “regularly fails to fulfill its payment obligations under the existing contract, which is a significant breach of its terms.”View on euronews

Russian-owned gas giant Gazprom announced in December it would halt gas supplies to Moldova over a dispute over an alleged $709 million debt for past supplies.

The suspension of Russian gas supplies to the unrecognised republic of Transnistria in Moldova has resulted in the closure of all industrial facilities except those involved in food production. Source: Reuters,

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