MOSCOW, November 21. /TASS/. Naftogaz expects Ukraine to import 1 billion cubic meters of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2026, CEO of Naftogaz, Sergey Koretsky announced.

"This year, under our agreement with the Polish energy company ORLEN, 600 million cubic meters of American LNG will be supplied to Ukraine. In total, we expect 1 billion cubic meters of American LNG imports in 2026," he said following the signing of an agreement with ORLEN to supply 300 million cubic meters of American LNG to Ukraine in the first quarter of next year.

The LNG will undergo regasification at the Swinoujscie terminal in Poland and be transported via pipeline across the Polish-Ukrainian border.

Earlier, it was reported that in November, the Ukrainian energy holding DTEK completed its first LNG shipment from the United States via Lithuania. The vessel Gaslog Houston delivered 160,000 cubic meters of cargo, equivalent to approximately 100 million cubic meters of natural gas, to the Lithuanian terminal in Klaipeda. After regasification, the gas will be shipped to Ukraine, as well as to the Baltic states, Poland, and other Eastern European markets.

DTEK estimates that, due to damage to gas infrastructure, Ukraine will need to import approximately 4 billion cubic meters of gas this winter alone.

The gas shortage in Ukraine arose after the transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine's gas transmission system was completely halted on January 1 following Kiev’s refusal to renew its agreement with Gazprom. The transit shutdown increased Ukraine's own demand for industrial gas to maintain pipeline pressure. As a result, Kiev has to purchase fuel on the European market at high prices. Since late January, Naftogaz has been importing gas, steadily increasing purchase volumes.