MOSCOW- The question of Russia continuing to pipe gas via Ukraine after 2024 is an economic question and it is hard to make promises on gas transit if Europe plans to cut its hydrocarbon usage, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Putin, speaking at an energy conference in Moscow, said red tape preventing the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany from moving ahead was still in place.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Alexander Marrow Editing by Katya Golubkova) ((alexander.marrow@thomsonreuters.com;))