Greece and Ukraine have signed an agreement on the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the period from December 2025 to March 2026 – a step already described as one of the key elements of Ukraine’s winter energy security. Amid continued Russian strikes on critical infrastructure, the deal goes far beyond commercial cooperation and has become a political and strategic instrument of support.

Ukraine is entering the winter season in a state of heightened vulnerability. Since October, the country has faced a new wave of attacks targeting power plants, substations, and distribution facilities. This makes access to additional LNG volumes an integral part of Ukraine’s “energy defense”.

It is worth noting that during the P-TEC Summit (Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation), held on 6–7 November 2025 in Athens, Greece and the United States formalized a long-term energy partnership by signing a 20-year contract for American LNG supplies – significantly strengthening Greece’s role as a major “energy gateway” to Europe.

LNG deliveries through Greek terminals will allow Kyiv to compensate for potential gas shortages and rapidly respond to fluctuations in electricity generation. Essentially, Athens is providing Ukraine with a strategic resource that may prove decisive if large-scale strikes on thermal and combined heat-and-power plants continue.

The agreement underscores Greece’s transformation into a key regional energy hub. Access to LNG via Greek terminals bolsters the southern supply corridor, helping Ukraine diversify both its energy sources and supply routes – critical factors of resilience during wartime. For the European Union, the move reflects an ongoing policy of energy solidarity. The EU demonstrates its readiness to help offset Ukraine’s infrastructural losses and prevent energy blackmail by expanding alternative supply channels.

The first gas volumes under the new agreement are expected to arrive as early as December, giving Ukraine additional resilience ahead of the winter heating season. Against a backdrop of ongoing attacks, such international arrangements become essential components of stability, shaping Ukraine’s ability to maintain functionality in wartime conditions.

As a result, the new LNG supplies will stabilize Ukraine’s domestic gas market, reduce the load on storage facilities, provide flexibility in winter energy balancing, and strengthen the country’s independence from vulnerable supply routes.

Geopolitically, the agreement reinforces Kyiv’s position within its relations with the EU, where energy security has become a central dimension of political integration. Greece, meanwhile, enhances its influence across the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan energy corridors.

Despite its strategic significance, the agreement also carries risks:

• LNG remains more expensive than pipeline gas;
• Balkan gas infrastructure is not ideally suited for large-scale flows;
• Russia may intensify pressure on Ukraine’s energy system precisely as the new supply scheme begins operating;
• Political shifts within certain EU member states could affect long-term support.

However, the benefits for Ukraine outweigh the risks, since the country’s primary objective – maintaining the operability of its energy system through the winter – has no alternative. Beyond the immediate needs, the deal lays the foundation for a new format of strategic cooperation between Ukraine and Greece, opening the door to long-term contracts and the expansion of energy routes through Southern Europe.

#UKRAINE

17.11.2025 10:43