Kyiv: Ukraine may import natural gas worth up to USD 2 billion this winter from Europe, the United States, and Azerbaijan, following severe damage to Ukraine's gas infrastructure caused by Russian attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday. He added that his government is talking with international allies to gather funding to cover the cost of increased imports.
According to Qatar News Agency, some partners are willing to provide grants, including an additional package from Norway scheduled for January, he highlighted, before adding that Ukraine aims to collaborate with US companies to construct LNG terminals at the port of Odesa on the Black Sea and utilize large underground gas facilities to deliver American gas to Europe.
Regarding logistics, Zelenskyy further explained that among the options is building an LNG terminal in Odesa, but this requires negotiations with Turkiye to ensure the Bosporus Strait remains open for this purpose.
Prior to recent Russian strikes on Ukraine's gas sector, Kyiv had planned to import 4.6 billion cubic meters of gas. However, due to the damage, the nation now anticipates increasing gas imports by 30 percent, according to previous remarks by Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk.