Escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine
Russian supplies to Europe via Ukraine may be heading for an interruption next year
The odds of Europe experiencing a gas supply crisis similar to the one that occurred in 2009—when Russian gas stopped flowing through Ukraine in the depths of winter—have risen sharply in recent months. Even a decade on, memories of that supply disruption remain fresh. The contract that governs transit of Russian gas through Ukraine expires on 31 December and it is looking increasingly unlikely that talks to agree a successor will bear fruit. Without such a contract in place, Russian deliveries to Europe will almost certainly stop on 1 January. The seriousness with which some stakeholders regard this prospect is evident in their preparations for it. Hungary, for example, has decided to buy a

Also in this section
20 June 2025
The scale of energy demand growth by 2030 and beyond asks huge questions of gas supply especially in the US
20 June 2025
The Emirati company is ramping up its overseas expansion programme, taking it into new geographic areas that challenge long-held assumptions about Gulf NOCs
19 June 2025
Geopolitical uncertainty casts a pall over expectations around demand, supply, investment and spare capacity
19 June 2025
Shifting demand patterns leaves most populous nation primed to become downstream leader as China and the West retreat