KIEV, Jan 26, 2024 (BSS/XINHUA) - Ukraine is not planning to extend the natural gas transit contract with Russia after 2024, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported Thursday, citing the government press service.

"The position of the Ukrainian side is clear: the transportation contract ends at the end of this year, we are not going to negotiate with the Russians and extend the contract," the press service said.

However, Ukraine can negotiate with European Union countries about using its gas transportation system, it said.

Ukraine's state-run energy company Naftogaz and Russia's gas giant Gazprom signed a gas transportation agreement in December 2019. The contract envisages that Ukraine would transit 40 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year during the 2021-2024 period.

Last year, Russia's gas transit via Ukraine was down by 28.4 percent to 14.646 million cubic meters.