Ukraine signs new gas deal with Greece to secure winter energy supplies
Ukraine and Greece have agreed on a new gas supply route and reached agreements on financing future gas imports, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on November 16.
“As of today, we have prepared a comprehensive gas agreement for Ukraine,” Mr. Zelensky stated on Telegram. “This will establish another new gas supply route to maximise our nation's winter energy security.”
The announcement followed reports that the Ukrainian leader was scheduled to visit Greece to finalise the energy agreement.
Kyiv and Athens concurrently agreed on key financing deals. The support is designed to help secure nearly two billion euros (approximately $2.3 billion financial aid) needed to offset Ukraine's substantial gas production losses caused by persistent Russian military strikes.
Mr. Zelensky noted that the Ukrainian government, European allies, and European banks are cooperating on this import financing. The European Commission, Norway, Ukrainian banks, and the United States are also actively working to guarantee funding for Ukraine's critical energy needs.
In a related development, Ukraine is collaborating with Polish partners to secure a long-term gas contract with Azerbaijan.
Following his stop in Greece, the Ukrainian President is scheduled to travel to France to finalise a defence agreement on November 17, before continuing to Spain. The French deal, the president confirmed, is expected to “significantly strengthen” Ukraine’s air defence capabilities and combat aviation.
The new Ukraine-Greece gas deal comes as Russia continues to target Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. These attacks are widely seen as part of a strategic campaign to degrade the country’s power and heating capacity ahead of the winter season.
Russia's air attacks have intensified in recent weeks, and Moscow’s annual autumn assault on Ukraine's energy sector has escalated sharply, with increasing strikes targeting vital gas infrastructure and heating systems.
In the last two weeks alone, Ukraine has endured massive strikes that have severely damaged its energy grid. Attacks on November 8 and 14 specifically targeted critical facilities, leading to widespread power outages across the country.
Separately, Ukraine’s energy sector has been affected by a significant domestic crisis: a major corruption scandal involving high-ranking government officials, including those close to Mr. Zelensky, who allegedly received bribes from state-owned energy company contractors.
Mr. Zelensky announced on November 15 that Kyiv is initiating a complete reorganisation of Ukraine's state-owned energy firms. This overhaul is expected to involve immediate leadership changes and comprehensive financial audits.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
