Shmyhal and US Energy Secretary discuss LNG and strengthening Ukraine's energy security
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal held an online meeting with United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. The Ukrainian official announced this in his Telegram channel.
During the conversation, Shmyhal thanked the United States and President Donald Trump for their support of Ukraine and informed the American side about Russia's latest massive strikes on the energy sector. According to him, energy, utility and emergency services are working around the clock to restore infrastructure, and the key priorities remain the restoration, sustainability and modernisation of the energy system.
The parties paid special attention to the possibilities of supplying American LNG through the Vertical Gas Corridor. Shmyhal stressed that this project will make it possible to supply gas not only to Ukraine but also to European consumers. He stressed that the supply of American liquefied gas will be crucial for the energy security of Ukraine and Europe, and that the Ukrainian side is ready to offer its own gas storage facilities.
In addition, Shmyhal voiced the urgent need for repairs to the energy infrastructure and requested that part of the international aid be directed towards the purchase of critically needed equipment. Cooperation with the American side continues within the framework of the SPARC initiative, aimed at increasing the resilience of the Ukrainian energy system.
The minister also noted that in the long term, Ukraine's energy sector will require significant investment. In this regard, he called on American businesses to join in the implementation of large-scale projects, particularly in the field of nuclear energy. Shmyhal stressed that Russian attacks affecting the operation of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, as well as the situation at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, pose serious risks to the country's energy security.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that it had no information about the blocking of energy aid from the United States and assured that work with partners to attract support was continuing uninterrupted. At the same time, Reuters reported that hundreds of millions of dollars in American energy aid to Ukraine had not yet been received amid forecasts of a sharp cold snap and the critical state of the energy system.
