Ukraine Proudly Displays New Shipment of American LNG, Set to Arrive via Lithuanian Port of Klaipeda. Kyiv Plans to Import LNG from the U.S. Through German Terminal as Well. Will Ukraine Finally Break Free from Russian Gas and Transition to U.S. LNG?
Ukrainian Naftogaz boasts that it has successfully organized its first delivery of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Ukraine via the terminal at the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda.
In partnership with the Lithuanian holding company Ignitis Group, a shipment of 90 million cubic meters of LNG from the U.S. has been secured. Naftogaz will independently deliver this gas to Ukraine in February-March, stated the CEO of Naftogaz, Serhiy Koretsky. He added that the company has also begun importing liquefied gas through the terminal in Germany.
This is far from Ukraine's first attempt to source LNG from the U.S. as a substitute for Russian gas. As early as 2017, Kyiv made initial endeavors to supply gas from the Polish LNG terminal in Swinoujscie. In December 2024, Ukraine mentioned plans to procure a shipment of LNG via Greece.
Now discussions have surfaced about deliveries through the LNG terminal in Germany, transitioning through Polish territory and the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda.
However, all these stories share a common theme. Reports of purchasing American LNG through a third country appear at best once a year, and that is where it usually ends. For several months—while the tanker with LNG is en route to the marine terminal—Ukraine maintains interest in it and boasts of success. Yet, no consistent procurement materializes. Moreover, it remains unclear whether this American gas actually reaches Ukrainian territory.
"Indeed, Ukraine periodically purchases American LNG. But this is purely a PR stunt that Ukrainians regularly repeat. Typically, Ukraine pompously announces a shipment of LNG, then reports that the tanker has reached a specific country, but after that, the information is cut off. This is because they do not deliver this gas to Ukrainian territory."
– says Igor Yushkov, an expert at the National Energy Security Fund and Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
According to him, the process unfolds as follows: "Naftogaz acquires LNG of American origin from traders and then resells it to neighboring countries. Physically, the molecules of American gas do not reach Ukraine, as it is economically meaningless to transport that gas when other gas can be purchased at a more favorable price. The majority of imported gas enters Ukraine through Hungary and Slovakia, which are purchasing Russian gas via the Turkish Stream. Thus, Ukraine is essentially buying the same Russian gas," Yushkov explains.
A portion of imported gas also arrives in Ukraine through Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline to the Odessa area, in addition to smaller volumes coming from Poland through the LNG terminal, the expert adds.
"I believe that nearly all gas procured by Ukraine is Russian, entering European countries via the Turkish Stream, aside from the gas from Poland. Through Poland, Ukrainians can potentially purchase LNG. Everything coming from the south is likely to have a Russian origin, although occasionally there may be traces of Azerbaijani gas," says the FNEB expert.
According to Naftogaz, Ukraine imported nearly 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2025. The company increased import volumes due to a reduction in domestic production. However, American LNG still occupies a small share of imports—just 600 million cubic meters in 2025. Only 300 million cubic meters of LNG have been contracted for 2026, as stated by Naftogaz's commercial director at the end of December.
Transporting gas from Lithuania is economically unfeasible due to the lengthy route, which increases the cost of what is already expensive LNG. On the spot European market, gas costs $420 per thousand cubic meters. Meanwhile, Ukraine is constantly searching for partners in Europe willing to finance imported gas.
The same situation applies to LNG supplies from the German terminal via Poland. "Overall, Ukraine could attempt this option as well, but the Germans have a limited capacity at their receiving terminal. They rely on neighboring countries; tankers carrying LNG arrive in Belgium and the Netherlands, and from there, pipeline gas is sent to Germany. Furthermore, the Baltic Sea has recently frozen, halting the reception of LNG carriers at the German terminals," Yushkov explains.
"Lithuania could become a transit hub for American gas supplies to Ukraine. In 2025, Lithuania increased its LNG purchases from the U.S. from 1.4 billion cubic meters for all of 2024 to 2.16 billion over eleven months in 2025. This exceeds Lithuania's own gas consumption, which stands at 1.6 billion cubic meters. This means that Lithuania is re-exporting 560 million cubic meters to neighboring countries. However, the role of LNG supplies for Eastern Europe should not be overstated. The main sources of raw materials in the region will continue to be pipeline supplies from Norway, Azerbaijan, and Russia. To increase the role of LNG, new regasification terminals need to be constructed, which will require additional investments," reflects Sergey Tereshkin, General Director of Open Oil Market.
A non-trivial question arises: why has Ukraine, which has long sought to curry favor with the U.S., not built its LNG terminal or brought a floating LNG terminal to Odessa?
"The fact is that Turkey has long refused to allow LNG carriers to pass through the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits for deliveries to Ukraine. These straits are congested, and it is a matter of their security. Turkey suggests unloading LNG on their coast and transferring gas overland to Ukraine," Yushkov explains.
In such conditions, no one is inclined to invest in building an LNG terminal in Ukraine. Back in 2012, Ukraine almost constructed such a terminal in partnership with Spain’s Gas Natural Fenosa; a ceremonial event was even planned to launch the project. However, it turned out that Ukrainian officials had been swindled by a fraudster who had no ties to the Spanish company.
"All these supplies via third countries are a demonstration of political loyalty to the U.S. Washington wants everyone to purchase American gas, and Ukraine is complying."
Americans unabashedly politicize energy issues and state outright that political allies should purchase American hydrocarbons. Trump even promoted this idea more vigorously than Biden. The EU's commitment to procure energy resources from the U.S. worth $750 billion over the next three years also signifies loyalty to the EU," states the FNEB expert.
According to him, there are currently two political forces in Ukraine: one elite wishes to continue demonstrating their loyalty to the U.S., while the other believes that the nation should look toward Europeans and, at times, push back against Americans, capitalizing on the rift in U.S.-European relations.
Source: Vzglyad
