US Gas Reaches Ukraine: First LNG Cargo Delivered Through Lithuania
Ukrainian energy company DTEK has imported its first batch of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Lithuania's import terminal.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Reuters.
The trading division of Ukrainian energy company DTEK has imported its first shipment of American LNG via Lithuania, using the Klaipėda terminal.
The shipment that arrived from the Plaquemines plant in Louisiana on the GasLog Houston vessel is equivalent to approximately 100 million cubic meters (or 1 TWh) of natural gas.
DTEK already has experience using the southern route, having delivered a similar-sized shipment via the Revithoussa terminal in Greece in December 2024.
The need to diversify and increase gas supplies to Ukraine has grown after Russia stepped up its attacks on the country's gas infrastructure, resulting in the loss of at least half of its own production. According to DTEK estimates, Ukraine needs to import about 4 billion cubic meters of gas this winter.
In response, the company is actively negotiating the import of further shipments of American gas through both Lithuania and Greece.
DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko stressed that the company is working with European and American partners "to develop cost-effective routes to get more gas flowing into Ukraine and neighbouring countries."
Greece became the first EU country to officially support the US initiative to replace Russian gas with American LNG. The import of American LNG was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as part of an agreement between the Greek gas company DEPA and Ukraine's Naftogaz.
Deliveries will continue from December 2025 to March 2026 to provide Ukraine with energy in the event of a potentially harsh winter. Therefore, Greece is strengthening its role as an energy hub for Central and Eastern Europe, while Ukraine gains access to diversified gas sources.
According to Zelenskyy, the deal could cover nearly €2 billion needed to import gas and compensate for losses in domestic production due to Russian attacks.
European countries remain partially dependent on Russian liquefied natural gas, as approximately 15% of the EU's LNG imports come from Russia, making it the second largest supplier after the US.
Despite years of attempts to diversify energy sources, European countries spend between €500 million and €700 million on Russian gas every month.
In response, Poland is expanding its own efforts to reduce this dependence while strengthening the energy security of its neighbors.
As The Gaze reported earlier, Warsaw is negotiating with the US to significantly increase LNG imports, with part of these volumes potentially being directed to Ukraine and Slovakia.