Austria's shock! OMV terminates gas contract with Gazprom - what now?

Austria's shock! OMV terminates gas contract with Gazprom - what now?

The energy crisis in Europe reaches a new highlight: OMV, the Austrian oil and gas company, has terminated the long-term delivery contract with the Russian energy company Gazprom with immediate effect. This radical step followed the complete setting of the gas deliveries by Gazprom since November 16, 2024, when the Russian provider made "fundamental contractual violations". This information was published in an official announcement by the OMV, which was published in a broadcast on Gashub.at.

The Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer commented on the situation sharply and found that Russia had tried to use energy as a means of pressure. However, this did not work: "Gazprom did not stick to the contracts, so the OMV ends the contract that should run until 2040." This statement underlines the urgency and seriousness of this decision, which not only has economic but also diplomatic dimensions. Despite this escalation, Nehammer believes that the Austrian energy supply is secured for the upcoming winter. This was also confirmed by other experts, such as the former OMV boss Gerhard Roiss, who remains optimistic that small quantities of Russian gas will continue to come to Austria via alternative routes.

long -term implications and tensions

The relationship between OMV and Gazprom has been significantly tense in recent years, reinforced by the geopolitical developments such as the Russian attack war against Ukraine. Gazprom hired the deliveries after OMV did not implement an arbitration judgment and refused a payment of 230 million euros to the Russian group. Since then, gas has been brought to Austria, but not under the binding conditions of the contract, which further reinforces the complexity of this situation.

The long -term contract between OMV and Gazprom, which was originally valid until 2040, came into criticism due to its rigid payment terms that required that gas must be tracked and paid for independently of the acceptance. These aspects are in conflict with the EU sanctions against Russia, which demand a quick exit from the dependence on Russian gas, as the reported.