Ukraine just stopped Russian gas flows to Europe. Here’s who’s most at risk
The Mitte Combined Heat and Power (CHP) natural gas power plant, operated by Vattenfall AB, in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Ukraine halted the flow of Russian gas to several European countries on New Year’s Day, bringing an end to Moscow’s decades-long dominance over Europe’s energy markets.
Russia’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom confirmed gas exports to Europe via Ukraine stopped at around 8 a.m. local time (5 a.m. London time) on Wednesday.
The widely expected move marks the end of a five-year transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine, with neither side willing to strike a new deal amid the ongoing war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last month that Kyiv was not prepared to prolong the transit of Russian gas, adding: “We will not give the possibility of additional billions to be earned on our blood.”
Russia, which has transported gas to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines since 1991, says European Union countries will suffer the most from the supply shift. Moscow can still send gas via the TurkStream pipeline, which links Russia with Hungary, Serbia and Turkey.
Ukraine will lose up to $1 billion a year in transit fees from Russia due to the stoppage, according to Reuters, while Gazprom is poised to lose close to $5 billion in gas sales.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said it had been working with EU member states most impacted by the end of the gas transit agreement to ensure the entire 27-nation bloc was prepared for such a scenario.
Slovakia, Austria and Moldova are among the countries most at risk from the stoppage. They were the European countries most dependent on transit volumes of Russian gas in 2023, according to Rystad Energy, with Slovakia importing roughly 3.2 billion cubic meters that year, Austria receiving 5.7 billion cubic meters and Moldova getting 2 billion cubic meters.
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico (L) prior to their talks in Moscow on December 22, 2024.
Gavriil Grigorov | Afp | Getty Images
Austria has insisted it is well prepared for the stoppage, but others were much more concerned.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico warned that Ukraine’s termination of the gas transit agreement would have a “drastic” impact on the EU, without harming Russia. Fico also threatened to cut electricity supplies to neighboring Ukraine.
The prime minister, a vocal critic of the EU’s support for Ukraine in the ongoing war, made a surprise visit to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin shortly before Christmas.
Moldova, which is not a member of the EU, declared a 60-day state of emergency last month over energy security fears.
A total of 56 lawmakers of Moldova’s 101-seat parliament voted in favor of a nationwide state of emergency, which the government said at the time would allow the country to apply a series of measures to prevent and mitigate the threat of insufficient energy resources.
‘A historic event’
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko described the cessation of Russian gas flows via Ukraine as a “historic event.”
“Russia is losing markets, it will suffer financial losses,” Galushchenko said via Telegram on Jan. 1, according to a Google translation.
“Europe has already decided to abandon Russian gas. And the European initiative Repower EU provides for exactly what Ukraine has done today,” he added.
Separately, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski hailed the development as a political victory, accusing Russia’s Putin of having tried to “blackmail Eastern Europe with the threat of cutting off gas supplies.”
Steam clouds from the OMV refinery plant rise into the morning sky in Vienna’s suburban town of Schwechat, Austria on November 18, 2024.
Joe Klamar | Afp | Getty Images
The latest data compiled by industry group Gas Infrastructure Europe shows the EU’s gas storage facilities are around 73% full. In Germany, Europe’s biggest economy and largest gas consumer, inventories are currently at nearly 80%.
“Without Azerbaijan or another third party transiting the gas following a swap deal with Russia, the EU will require about 7.2 [billion cubic meters] of gas to be sourced from the LNG market,” Christoph Halser, gas and LNG analyst at Rystad Energy, said in a research note.
“Terminals in Poland, Germany, Lithuania and Italy could forward these volumes to the most affected counties, such as Slovakia and Austria.”
Europe’s energy security
Henning Gloystein, practice head of energy, climate and resources team at Eurasia Group, said Ukraine’s decision to halt the flow of Russian gas to the EU is no surprise given that both Kyiv and Moscow have long said they would not be willing to renew a deal under current war conditions.
In a research note, Gloystein said the expiry of the deal does not threaten EU winter energy security, citing steps taken by EU importers to prepare for the cut in supply and the mild winter weather seen across most of Europe.
Eurasia Group’s Gloystein said gas price moves over the coming months would likely hinge on political developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and remaining winter weather conditions.
“On the political front, there are ongoing talks between some EU members (e.g. Slovakia, where many of Ukraine’s pipelines enter the EU), Russia, and Ukraine to find a compromise that may allow for some resumption of supplies. However, there has been no progress during negotiations around the turn of the year,” Gloystein said.
“On the weather front, expectations are currently for above average temperatures for the remainder of Europe’s winter, which implies the impact of the cuts will be limited,” he added.
The front-month gas price at the Dutch TTF hub, a European benchmark for natural gas trading, was last seen up 1.2% at 49.49 euros ($51.1) per megawatt-hour on Thursday, according to New York’s Intercontinental Exchange.
Believe it or not, you can lease an EV for under $200 a month. New deals on models like the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 are hard to pass up this month.
Electric vehicles have been all over the news lately, with the Trump administration threatening to end federal incentives and introducing new tariffs that are expected to lead to higher prices.
On the positive side, new EV models are arriving, giving buyers more options and driving prices down. Many automakers reported record US electric car sales in the first three months of 2024.
GM remained the number two seller of EVs behind Tesla after sales doubled in Q1 2025. With the new Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs rolling out, Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is off to its best sales start since launching, with over 11,600 models sold in the first quarter.
With the 2025 models rolling out and about 15 new EVs arriving this year, many automakers are introducing steep discounts to move vehicles off the lot.
EVs for lease for under $200 a month in April
Although the decade-old Nissan LEAF remains one of the most affordable this April at just $149 per month, there are a few EVs under $200 right now that are worth taking a look at.
The new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ might be the best EV deal this month, with leases as low as $199. Hyundai is currently promoting a 24-month lease deal with $3,999 due at signing.
Hyundai upgraded the electric SUV with a bigger battery for more range (now up to 318 miles), a sleek new look inside and out, and it now comes with an NACS port so you can charge it at Tesla Superchargers.
The offer is for the IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range, which has a driving range of up to 245 miles. For just $229 a month, you can snag the SE RWD model, which has a range of up to 318 miles and a more powerful (225 horsepower) electric motor. It’s also a 24-month lease with $3,999 due at signing.
To sweeten the deal, Hyundai is offering a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger with the purchase or lease of any 2024 or 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.
After slashing lease prices this month, the 2025 Nissan Ariya is actually cheaper than the LEAF in some regions. In Southern California, the 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD is listed at just $129 per month. The AWD model has a range of up to 272 miles.
The deal is for 36 months, with $4,409 due at signing. In April, Nissan cut Ariya lease prices to around $239 in most other parts of the country.
Kia has a few EVs available to lease for under $200 a month in April. The 2025 Kia Niro EV Wind is listed at just $129 for 24 months, with $3,999 due at signing. Kia’s crossover SUV has EPA-estimated range of 253 miles.
The 2024 EV6 may be worth considering at just $179 for 24 months ($3,999 due at signing). In California, the EV6 Light Long Range RWD is only slightly more than the Niro Wind.
In most other parts of the country, you can still find the EV6 for under $200 a month. The Light Long Range RWD trim offers up to 310 miles of EPA-estimated range.
| Lease Price | Term (months) |
Amount Due at Signing | Driving Range | |
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | $199 | 24 | $3,999 | 245 miles |
| 2024 Kia EV6 Light Long Rang RWD | $179 | 24 | $3,999 | 310 miles |
| 2024 Kia Niro EV Wind | $129 | 24 | $3,999 | 253 miles |
| 2025 Nissan Ariya Evolve AWD | $129 | 36 | $4,409 | 272 miles |
| 2025 Nissan LEAF S FWD | $149 | 36 | $2,629 | 149 miles |
| 2024 Fiat 500 INSPI(RED) | $199 | 24 | $2,999 | 149 miles |
And don’t forget the 2024 Fiat 500e, which is now listed at just $199 for 24 months with $2,999 due at signing. The electric hatchback offers a range of up to 149 miles.
If you are looking to spend a little more, check out our list of EVs you can lease for under $300 a month.
Ready to snag the savings while they are still here? At under $200 a month, some of these EV lease deals are hard to pass up right now. Check out our links below to find deals in your area.
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![The US’s first solar panels over canals pilot is now online [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Project-Nexus-solar-canal.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Project Nexus, the first solar panel canopies over irrigation canals in the US, is now online in California, and there are plans to expand the project to other areas.
Project Nexus is a $20 million pilot in central California’s Turlock Irrigation District launched in October 2022. The project team is exploring solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits using canal infrastructure and the electrical grid.
India already has solar panels over canals, but Project Nexus is the first of its kind in the US.
The Turlock Irrigation District was the first irrigation district formed in California in 1887. It provides irrigation water to 4,700 growers who farm around 150,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley.
Project Nexus will explore whether the solar panels reduce water evaporation as a result of midday shade and wind mitigation, create improvements to water quality through reduced vegetative growth, reduce canal maintenance as a result of reduced vegetative growth, and, of course, generate renewable electricity.
The California Department of Water Resources, utility company Turlock Irrigation District, Marin County, California-based water and energy project developer Solar AquaGrid, and The University of California, Merced, are partnering on the pilot. Project Nexus originated from a 2021 research project led by UC Merced alumna and project scientist Brandi McKuin.
Solar panels were installed at two sites over both wide- and narrow-span sections of Turlock Irrigation District canals in Stanislaus County, in various orientations. The sections range from 20 feet wide to 100 feet wide. University of California, Merced has positioned research equipment at both sites to collect baseline data so the researchers can decide where solar will work and where it won’t.
In February 2023, Project Nexus announced it would also deploy long-term iron flow battery storage in the form of two ESS 75kW turnkey “Energy Warehouse” batteries.
You can learn more about Project Nexus here:
Read more: In a US first, California will pilot solar-panel canopies over canals
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