Czech Trade Minister and Prague’s candidate for European Commissioner Josef Sikela has called on neighbouring countries Austria, Slovakia and Hungary not to try to resume imports of Russian gas early next year when the transit agreement between Moscow and Kiev expires. Sikela, who is set to replace incumbent Energy Commissioner Cardi Simson, has sent letters to Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Germany.
Instead of Russian pipeline gas, Sikela suggested using “alternative supplies” (mainly from the United States) and said importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) would be the most suitable replacement, despite being six to eight times more expensive.
The minister also offered his country’s pipeline infrastructure to transport foreign LNG from Germany to Central Europe, saying the Czech Republic has the capacity to supply the same volume as the entire 40-42 million cubic metres that pass through Ukraine.
A transit agreement between Kiev and Russian state-owned Gazprom, which allows the company to use Ukraine's pipeline network to supply gas to central Europe, expires on January 1, and President Zelensky has repeatedly said he will not extend it, despite requests from central European countries.
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