The move was connected with, but not required by, the expiration at the end of 2024 of Russia’s contract with Ukraine for transit of natural gas to Europe. The looming energy crisis is likely to have a strong negative effect on Moldova’s ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) in parliamentary elections due in the second half of 2025.

Gazprom will cease supplying natural gas to the Moldovan company Moldovagaz, which "will leave pro-Russian Transnistria in the cold," reports "Gazeta Wyborcza" on Tuesday. The energy crisis will pose a challenge for Chisinau during the year of parliamentary elections.

"An important task now is to help Moldova overcome its energy challenges and prevent Moscow from stirring up social tensions. ... We are ready to help," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 8.

Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Saturday it would suspend gas exports to Moldova from 0500 GMT on Jan. 1 due to unpaid debt by Moldova, which is bracing for severe power cuts.

Moldova has accused Russia of triggering an energy crisis after tens of thousands of homes in its eastern breakaway region of Transnistria were left without heating, gas or electricity following the end of a Ukraine gas transit agreement last week.

More than 51,000 households were left without gas and 1,500 buildings had no heating in Moldova’s separatist region Transdniestria, authorities told Reuters. The development comes after Ukraine had refused to transit Russian gas through its pipelines to Europe.