OREANDA-NEWS  Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund, spoke to RIA Novosti about the potential loss of Russian gas to Moldova due to Ukraine's decision to halt transit after the expiration of the contract with Gazprom.

Yushkov emphasized the seriousness of the situation for Moldova, which finds itself in a hostage-like position due to the complex dynamics between Russia, Europe, and Ukraine. He stated that Moldova is waiting for a resolution to the conflict among these three parties.

The issue, according to Yushkov, lies in Ukraine's attempt to isolate itself from Europe. He recalled that Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal had indicated that the country is prepared to allow the transit of any gas, regardless of its origin, as long as it legally belongs to Europe. Yushkov explained that this means that if the gas is of European origin, even if it is Russian, Ukraine would allow its transit through its territory.

He further stated that Ukraine intends to relocate the gas delivery and acceptance point to the border between Russia and Ukraine, ensuring that European companies handle the negotiations and agreements regarding transit.

If Moldova were to sign an agreement with Gazprom regarding the relocation of the delivery and acceptance point, there would be no need to transfer gas volumes to the Turkish Stream, according to Yushkov.

In a previous statement, the analyst had suggested that Ukraine's decision to halt the transit of Russian gas to Europe, given the expiration of the current five-year agreement on December 31, would result in economic losses for all parties involved.