Lithuanian and Russian energy companies are negotiating an extension of the natural gas transit agreement for supplies to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, LRT RADIO reported Saturday.
The parties may agree on a shorter contract term and a higher price for the transit services. The European Commission has been informed about the ongoing talks.
The negotiations are being conducted between Lithuania’s gas transmission system operator, Amber Grid, and the Russian energy giant Gazprom.
The current 10-year contract with Gazprom, signed in late December 2015, is set to expire in December. The previous deal was signed at the end of 1999.
President Gitanas Nausėda said in February that he saw no reason the agreement should not be extended. At the time, he emphasised that Lithuania was ready to cooperate on gas transit to Kaliningrad while seeking terms favourable to Vilnius.
Lithuanian officials have also stressed that the transit issue is not a bilateral matter and that any decision on extending the agreement should involve European Union institutions.
Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas said Lithuania earns up to 20 million euros annually from gas transit to Kaliningrad. LRT RADIO reported that the average annual revenue from the service is about 12 million euros.
Natural gas flowing through Lithuania from Belarus supplies Kaliningrad, and the transit remains Lithuania’s only connection to Russian gas after the country completely halted imports of Russian gas in April 2022.
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