Austria considers new contract for Russian gas

Austria is reportedly considering bypassing Ukraine’s scheduled end to Russian gas transits to secure future supplies. The plan would see Austria ordering Russian gas itself and transporting it via the Ukrainian pipeline.

This would be regardless of the end of the supply contract with the Ukrainian Naftogaz company, according to Austria’s energy regulator.

“The physical pipeline is still available, which means that gas can still flow, just with other contractual partners,” Alfons Haber, Director of the Austrian regulator ‘E-Control’, told Euronews. 

“If a European market participant now comes and says I would like to book the pipeline to transport gas here, then there is no direct contractual relationship between Naftogaz and Gazprom, so the new conditions are fulfilled.”

Naftogaz declined to be interviewed but in a statement told Euronews that it “has no intention or initiative to extend the existing supply contract from 2025. Supporting Russia through the purchase of Russian gas during the war is absurd.”

It is uncertain whether Austria will be able to use the Ukrainian pipeline on its own from 2025. The European Union has repeatedly criticised the Alpine republic for depending on energy supply from Moscow.

To replace Russian gas from the East, in the future Austria wants to import gas from the West. This requires construction work on the pipeline to Germany, which hasn’t yet started and won’t be finished until 2027 – two years too late. Because of this neglect, Austria might continue to be dependent on Russia and Ukraine.