The European Union is prepared for the contract on Russian natural gas transit by Ukraine ceasing to be valid at the end of 2024, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said.

"The decarbonized gas package will allow member states to address Russian gas even at this certain moment, when we don't have sanctions in place," Simson told a press conference after a European Energy Council meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

"And from my side, I also informed ministers that I'm willing to give them overview about alternative supply routes for the moment when Russian gas transit agreement with Ukraine will expire. It happens exactly in a year," she said.

The Commission will support EU members which may be affected by this problem, she said.

"There is long enough time to be prepared for this," she said.

In late March 2023, the European Energy Council determined EU members' position on the gas package – the future market for natural gas and hydrogen. At issue was a set of two proposals to establish common rules for the internal market for renewable and natural gases and hydrogen. The aim of the legislation was to work out how the gas sector will transition to renewable low-carbon gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen.

An agreement between Naftogaz Ukrainy and Gazprom on organizing transportation, a transport agreement between the Ukrainian holding company and the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), and an inter-operator agreement between GTSOU and Gazprom were signed on December 30, 2019.

The contract stipulates the transit of 40 billion cubic meters of gas in 2021-2024.