Is the End of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod Pipeline Era Near? Commercial and Political Stakes at Play

As the potential halt to Russian gas transit through Ukraine approaches—scheduled for 5 a.m. Ukrainian time on January 1, 2025—effectively signaling the cessation of pipeline gas supplies from Russia to major EU economies in Central and Western Europe, EU nations and the newly updated European Commission (EC) leadership have intensified consultations on ensuring Europe's energy security.

The meeting of the newly elected Secretary General Mark Rutte with President Erdoğan in Ankara on November 25 was aimed not so much at familiarizing himself with the member countries but at holding direct discussions about ongoing developments in the region. This is understandable, as the closer the date for Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House approaches, the more intense the situation on the Russia-Ukraine front becomes. On the other hand, despite the latest reconciliation between Israel and Lebanon, questions surrounding Gaza’s future are growing in number.

In alignment with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the EU presented its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) on November 22 at COP29 in Baku, detailing the Union's climate actions up to 2023.

The heating season and new gas year (which runs from October to October of the following year) in the EU, which began in October, was the focus of discussions among EU energy ministers in Luxembourg on October 15. The talks revolved around potential risks stemming from a possible halt in the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to the Eurozone.