Ukrainian, US energy ministers discuss gas supplies, support for Ukraine's energy system

Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal held an online meeting with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.

Shmyhal announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"I outlined our urgent needs for repairs and asked that part of the assistance to Ukraine be directed toward purchasing critically needed equipment. Cooperation with the American side continues within the SPARC initiative, aimed at strengthening the resilience of Ukraine's energy system," Shmyhal wrote.

The parties also discussed the possibility of supplying U.S. LNG via the Vertical Gas Corridor.

"Such a project opens up significant opportunities and creates business prospects even in wartime. The supply of U.S. LNG will play a key role in ensuring the energy security of Ukraine and Europe as a whole. Ukraine, in turn, offers the use of its gas storage facilities," Shmyhal said.

He also noted that in the long term, Ukraine's energy sector will require substantial investment. Therefore, the Ukrainian official called on U.S. businesses to join in implementing large-scale projects.

In particular, Ukraine seeks to develop strategic cooperation with the United States in the nuclear sector. At the same time, Shmyhal stressed that Russian attacks affecting the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, as well as the situation at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP, pose serious risks to energy security.

Earlier reports said that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had no information about the alleged blocking of U.S. energy assistance to Ukraine and added that work with partners to mobilize support continued uninterrupted.

Earlier, Reuters reported that hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. energy assistance for Ukraine had yet to be delivered, even as forecasters predicted a sharp cold snap and the condition of the energy system damaged by Russian strikes remains critical.