Ukraine, Russia did not discuss extension of gas transit contract - Zelensky

He said this during a press marathon "Thirty Questions to the President of Ukraine" on Friday, November 26, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

He recalled that the current transit contract was signed until 2024 and Ukraine expressed its readiness to increase gas transit.

"I heard rhetoric from the Russian side that they are ready to extend the transit contract. I haven't seen anything else apart from these statements. There have been no substantive meetings between [Naftogaz] and Gazprom," Zelensky said.

In October, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to study the possibility of supplying Europe with an additional 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

At the same time, natural gas transit through the Ukrainian gas transmission system to European countries amounted to 2.634 billion cubic meters in October, which is 19% less than in September this year.

The current gas transit contract between Naftogaz and Russia's Gazprom was concluded at the end of 2019 for a period of five years. It provides for Gazprom booking transit capacities in the amount of 65 billion cubic meters (178 million cubic meters per day) in 2020 and 40 billion cubic meters (110 million cubic meters per day) each year in 2021-2024.

op