Ukraine and Poland are planning to establish a gas hub.

The five-year contract for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will expire on December 31. According to Kolesnik, Ukrainian underground gas storage and Polish liquefied gas terminals can create a new business model to replace Russian gas transit. The official noted that Ukraine has already approached its partners with a proposal to sign the relevant documents.

Kolesnik also stated that he anticipates the signing of long-term and medium-term contracts, "similar to business models in the USA." "This will help Ukraine and Poland store as much gas as needed for all of Eastern Europe," he explained.

Kiev and Warsaw signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between their gas markets aimed at integration back in March 2024. In August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that following the expiration of the contract with Gazprom, Kiev could transport gas from "other companies" at the request of European colleagues. Later, an advisor to his office, Mykhailo Podolyak, explained that Ukraine is ready to supply any gas except Russian gas – for instance, from Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan.

This week, on December 17, leading gas companies in the European Union – from Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Italy – declared that the end of the contract with Gazprom could "complicate gas supplies" and "lead to price increases for European consumers." They appealed to the President of the European Commission, requesting an effort to extend the agreement for the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.

Russia has expressed its willingness to extend the contract, while Ukraine refuses to continue cooperation with Gazprom. Following the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European countries have committed to a complete rejection of Russian gas by 2027.

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