Ukraine has received its first shipment of liquefied natural gas from the United States, reports the Financial Times, UNN writes.
Details
"The country's largest private energy company, DTEK, received the shipment via the Mediterranean Sea, with the vessel arriving at a Greek LNG terminal on Friday," the newspaper writes.
As indicated, Europe gets about 40 percent of its LNG imports from the United States, but none of it has been purchased directly by Ukraine before. The delivery comes just days before the expiration of a five-year agreement allowing Russian pipeline gas to transit through Ukraine and weeks before Trump's inauguration as US president, the publication points out.
"DTEK said it had bought the entire LNG cargo, which carried about 100 million cubic meters of natural gas. Data from the National Gas System Operator of Greece show that DTEK will keep about a tenth of the gas for itself, while the rest will be resold to Greek firms," the publication says.
"It's significant that one of Ukraine's largest energy companies is receiving US LNG ahead of potentially major changes in the gas market," said independent gas analyst Tom Marzec-Mancer.
"Ukraine does not buy gas from Russia itself, but if Russia is unable to supply gas to Central European buyers through Ukraine from January 1, these additional volumes will be crucial for security in the entire region," he added.
"In June, DTEK signed an LNG supply agreement with the American company Venture Global. Under the terms, DTEK's purchases will continue until the end of 2026. The two companies also have separate 20-year LNG purchase agreements," the publication writes.
Venture Global is reportedly one of the largest LNG developers in the US and recently filed for an initial public offering.
What Kyiv says
"For the first time, Ukraine received liquefied natural gas from the US via Greece. This is not just a cargo - it is a strategic step. Despite Russia's attempts to destroy our energy system during the war, we have won another victory on the energy front. DTEK energy company accepted the gas at the Greek LNG terminal, demonstrating a high level of international cooperation. The agreement with the American company Venture Global until 2026 means stability and confidence in the future for millions of Ukrainians. Ukraine is successfully integrating into the global energy market. I am grateful to our international partners for their support and trust. Together, we are freeing the global energy system from Russian blackmail," commented Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak on Telegram.