GAS STRATEGIES: UKRAINE'S MOTIVES AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR EUROPEAN ENERGY SECURITY

Ukraine has always been a transit point for transporting Russian gas to the European Union. This supply route has been functioning for more than 40 years, regardless of the international and regional situation, relations between importing countries and the main exporter of energy resources in the region. The perception of Ukraine as a major transit point has been entrenched in the minds of citizens and governments of the member countries of the European Union, no one even doubted that the situation could change. However, the beginning of 2025 showed that this situation could change dramatically. On January 1, 2025, Ukraine announced the termination of all supplies of Russian gas through its territory, which largely came as a shock to the European community. This article is devoted to the analysis of the energy supply problem in the current regional situation, and is also an attempt to determine the true motives of Ukraine.