Russia has informed Austria that it will cut off gas
deliveries via Ukraine on Saturday. That's according to Austria's
Chancellor Karl Nemer, who said his country was ready
with an alternative supply. We in Austria were and
are prepared for these measures. And contrary to any
Russian propaganda or disinformation campaigns launched even from within our
own country, we are prepared for this situation.
Nobody has to freeze in Austria. Our homes can
be heated. The notice on Friday signaled the end
of Russia's last gas flows to Europe. Russian gas
being delivered to Austria was through a transit agreement that
Ukraine had with Russia's state owned gas company Gazprom.
It's a deal that Ukraine said it decided not to
extend in a move to deprive Russia of profits that
Ukraine says helps to finance the war against it.
Russia will now only supply significant gas volumes to Hungary
and Slovakia. OMV. Austria's biggest energy supplier said
it had been preparing for the eventual cut off of
Russian gas and can deliver gas to its customers by
importing via Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, European
and global gas prices spiked following a drop in Russian
pipeline supplies in 2022. But some European countries found
alternative sources including liquefied natural gas from the United States
. The US has become the world's top gas producer
and is expected to expand production.