Gazprom to halt gas supply to Moldova from January 1

(Patria) - Russian energy giant Gazprom announced yesterday that it will halt gas exports to Moldova from January 1, 2025, because the country has not paid its debt.

Gazprom stated that it has the right to terminate the supply contract with Moldova.

This move comes ahead of the complete halt of Russian gas exports via Ukraine to Europe, where it flows further to Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, and Italy, after the existing transit contract with Ukraine expires on December 31. Moldova will be the most affected by this halt.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean condemned the Russian decision, saying that residents will be left without electricity and heating.

In a Facebook post, he accused Russia of using energy as a weapon and announced that Moldova will consider legal remedies, including international arbitration.

Russia, which is critical of the pro-Western government in Chisinau, demands that Moldova pay its debt for past supplies, which according to Russian calculations amounts to $709 million, while Moldova claims it owes $8.6 million.

Russia supplies Moldova with about two billion cubic meters of gas annually via Ukraine.

The gas is delivered through pipelines to the breakaway region of Transnistria, which uses the gas to produce cheap energy that it then sells to the rest of Moldova.

Two and a half million Moldovans are preparing for long electricity reductions since Kyiv said it would not extend the transit contract with Gazprom.