Russia has held discussions for years about the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would bring 50 billion cubic meters of gas annually from northern Russia to China via Mongolia. However, the Mongolian government’s 2024-2028 national development plan leaves out the ambitious project, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday.

A former official at the National Security Council of Mongolia told the newspaper that the pipeline project will likely be delayed.

“We are entering a long pause, where Moscow no longer believes it can get the deal it wishes from Beijing and will probably park the project until better times,” Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva said.