The Czech Republic offered an alternative to the Ukrainian option of gas transit to Europe

The Czech gas transportation system has sufficient capacity to replace the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to Eastern European countries if supplies stop, Czech Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Josef Sikela said in a letter to European Commissioner for Energy Kadre Simson.

The minister noted that so far there are no signs that the transit agreement will be extended after its completion at the end of 2024, and the European Union will lose supplies of 40-42 million cubic meters of gas per day. Sikela urged to prevent a situation in which Europe will continue to buy Russian gas under the guise of non-Russian.

The Russian authorities expressed their readiness to supply gas through the territory of Ukraine after 2024 and warned about the damage that European consumers would suffer if transit stopped, but Kiev refused to negotiate with Moscow on this issue and admitted that it would be an intermediary in the transit of gas from Kazakhstan.

In June, Bloomberg reported on the discussion by the European authorities of gas supplies from Among the options is the purchase and injection of gas by the European side from Azerbaijan into Russian pipelines that go to Europe. Azerbaijan is already using its pipeline to Europe "at full capacity", while the deal could benefit both Russia, if it is formalized in the form of an exchange that will allow Moscow to supply gas to other countries, Bloomberg wrote.

Russia will be able to supply gas to Europe by other routes, for example, through the Turkish Stream or the Blue Stream, President Vladimir Putin said.

"If Ukraine refuses this transit, well, we can't force them," he said.

The contract between Gazprom and Naftogaz on gas transit to Western and Central European countries through the territory of Ukraine provided for the pumping of 225 billion cubic meters of fuel, including 65 billion cubic meters in 2020 and 40 billion cubic meters each over the next four years.

After the disruption of Nord Streams and the suspension of pumping through the Yamal—Europe gas pipeline, this transit line remained the only route for Russian gas supplies to Central Europe. Deliveries via the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream are intended for Turkey and the countries of Southern and Southeastern Europe.

European gas storage facilities were filled by 90% by the end of the summer, this happened ahead of schedule, as last year.

"The accumulation of reserves at the level of 95-100% (about 100 billion cubic meters) by November allows The EU will pass the heating period with minimal risks," said Alexey Belogoryev, Research Director at the Institute of Energy and Finance (IEF).