Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, said Thursday that there is no time left this year to sign a new deal for pipeline gas supplies to European countries, placing the blame squarely on Ukraine for refusing to extend the agreement that supplies gas to Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria.

"They announced that they would not renew the contract," Putin said, accusing Kyiv of punishing Europe with this move as the current five-year gas transit deal between Russia and Ukraine is set to expire at the end of the year.

"There is no contract, and it is impossible to conclude it in 3-4 days," Putin stated during a televised briefing reported by Reuters.

While Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine are relatively small, they form a significant portion of Russia’s energy export revenue. 

In 2023, Russia shipped about 15 billion cubic meters of gas through Ukraine, despite the ongoing war. That’s only 8% of peak Russian gas flows to Europe via various routes in 2018-19.

The Soviet-era Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline transports gas from Siberia through the town of Sudzha, now under Ukrainian military control, in Russia's Kursk region, then flows through Ukraine to Slovakia.

In Slovakia, the gas pipeline splits into branches heading to the Czech Republic and Austria.

While Russia has signalled readiness to supply gas via Ukraine to any customer, Putin said a lawsuit is making that impossible. 

Putin also reiterated that Russia is prepared to supply gas to Europe via Poland through the Yamal-Europe pipeline.