Russian gas exports through Ukraine to Europe were down more than 3% on Sunday and Monday from levels seen in recent months, while nominations for gas to and from Slovakia were stable, data from Gazprom and a pipeline operator showed.

Russian gas producer Gazprom GAZP.MM said it would send 40.8 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Monday, up from 40.6 mcm on Sunday but down from more than 42 mcm seen in recent months.

Russia halted gas supplies to Austria’s OMV OMVV.VI in mid-November due to a contractual dispute and a court decision to award the Vienna-based company 230 million euros ($242 million) in connection with irregular supplies to its German unit in 2022.

Other unnamed companies stepped up to buy the remaining Russian gas, thus keeping the flows from Siberia stable.

Russian gas exports via Ukraine are scheduled to stop on Dec. 31 as a five-year transit deal with Kyiv expires.

Ukraine has repeatedly said it will not engage in talks with Russia amid their ongoing military conflict.

Data from transmission system operator Eustream showed nominations for flows into Slovakia from Ukraine on Monday were steady versus Sunday levels.

Nominations for flows from Slovakia to Austria were also stable, while nominations to the Czech Republic from Slovakia.

Source: Reuters reported by Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow and Jason Hovet in Prague and edited by Jason Neely