Russia would like to see a resumption in the transit of gas via Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, after the European Commission issued a statement saying it planned to continue talks with Kyiv on natural gas supplies to Europe.

Serbia, Slovakia and Poland's call for a permanent end to Russian gas flows pose issues for the Russian leader.

The European Union renewed on Monday its wide-ranging sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, after Hungary stopped holding up the move in return for a declaration on energy security.

Before relenting, Budapest had threatened to allow billions of dollars to flow back to the Kremlin in a row over energy imports.

Hungary, one of Russia’s main friends in the EU, had left its EU counterparts fuming over a refusal so far to approve the move.

Hungary wants the European Union to intervene in a gas dispute it has with Ukraine, a potential sign of friction in the bloc's upcoming discussions over renewing sanctions against Russia.

The European Union renewed its sanctions on Russia for another six months after Hungary received energy security assurances. Despite initial resistance, Hungary supported the decision, which prevents Moscow from financing its war efforts.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected the bloc to renew its sanctions on Russia on Monday after Hungary signalled it would stop holding up the move in return for assurances about energy security.

Open Ukraine project, published by NV as its media partner. “It was known two years ago that starting Jan. 1, 2025, there would be no transit of Russian [natural] gas through Ukrainian territory,” Portnikov noted.

Slovakia avoided a shortfall in domestic natural gas supplies in January, despite previous fears voiced by Prime Minister Robert Fico following the halt in Russian gas pipeline flows

Kharkiv region. In Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv province, a Russian glide bomb struck a residential area two miles from the frontlines, near the city of Kupyansk, killing two women on Jan. 26.