The end of Russian natural-gas transit across Ukraine is a blow to Moscow, but it could provide the Kremlin with sharpened tool for economic and political influence over a key target country: Moldova.

Transnistria has faced major problems due to the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine. However, back in December, Moldova offered to buy European gas for the region, at its own expense, wrote the State Secretary for Energy of Moldova,

The blow to Transdniestria was immediate. Households' central heating and hot water were cut off, and nearly all industrial enterprise was shut down.

Authorities in Moldova's separatist Transdniestria region on Sunday cut off gas supplies to several state institutions as a deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine comes to an end at the close of the year.

Moscow breakaway region of Transnistria halted almost all industrial activity except for food production, following the end of Russian gas flows through Ukraine, Interfax reported.

Russia's Foreign Ministry blamed the U.S. for the decision, saying it will impact "the standard of living of European citizens."

Russian natural gas has stopped flowing to Europe via Ukraine after a five-year transit contract expired.

This matters because, if true, all it would take to stop the bloodshed is for the West to close the door to NATO and stop sending Ukraine weapons. If not, those decisions would simply help the Kremlin achieve its goals of territorial conquest, and promise a widening radius for destabilization.

Since 1 January 2025, the Republic of Moldova, including the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria, has struggled to respond to the end of gas deliveries by Russian gas utility Gazprom, plunging the country into a new energy crisis.

Kyiv has finally turned off Russia’s gas supply to Europe, ending a source of income that helped pay for Moscow’s war against Ukraine. The decades-old deal, which allowed the transit of natural gas produced by Russian energy giant Gazprom through Ukraine, ended at midnight on December 31, shutting down Russia’s last major gas corridor to Europe.

UBC engineering professor Ray Taheri will celebrate Eastern Orthodox Christmas this week in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, with plans to share a bit of joy during difficult times.