The Ukrainian gas transmission system received its first shipment of American gas in 2026: what is known
4 February 12:08
The first shipment of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) arrived in Ukraine in 2026. The delivery was organized by Naftogaz in partnership with the Polish state-owned company Orlen.
This was announced by Serhiy Koretsky, chairman of the board of Naftogaz, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to him, nearly 100 million cubic meters were delivered to the terminal in Świnoujście, Poland, at the end of January and have already entered the Ukrainian gas transmission system.
“Additional gas volumes are extremely important during periods of extreme cold and Russian terrorist attacks on energy infrastructure,” Koretsky emphasized.
He noted that this volume is sufficient for one month of winter consumption for approximately 700,000 families.
In total, Naftogaz plans to import up to 1 billion cubic meters of LNG from the US to Ukraine in 2026.
“We are working systematically with international partners to ensure that Ukraine has the resources to get through the winter in stable conditions amid constant attacks on gas and energy infrastructure,” Koretsky emphasized.
He added that the next batches of American gas have already been contracted and will be delivered to Ukraine in February-March.
Ukraine will receive at least 300 million cubic meters of American gas
At the end of last year, Naftogaz Group and the Polish company ORLEN signed agreements to supply at least 300 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US.
The agreements were signed during the Ministerial Meeting of the Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Partnership (P-TEC).
The signing of the relevant memorandum not only addresses urgent needs, but also opens up opportunities for long-term cooperation in diversifying supply routes and strengthening Europe’s energy security with the support of the US.
Gas supply routes to Ukraine
In 2025, almost half of the gas was imported from Hungary, and about a third from Poland. On January 12, due to a cold snap, imports rose to 27.6 million cubic meters, then fell to 21.6 million cubic meters, according to ExPro. Supplies from Poland account for about half of all imports, which is almost equal to the capacity of the gas transmission system in this direction. Large volumes of imports from Hungary and Poland are explained by geographical proximity and low tariffs for gas transportation from these countries.
Gas trade is not even hampered by political tensions between official Kyiv and Budapest or Warsaw. Alexander Kharchenko, director of the Center for Energy Research, explains that cross-border gas trade in the EU is regulated by European legislation. It is quite strict, and national governments do not dare to violate it, especially since foreign traders earn money from selling gas to Ukraine.
