Ukraine will import Azerbaijani gas via the Trans-Balkan route for the first time, the press service of state-run company Naftohaz has reported, citing its board chairman Serhiy Koretskyy.
According to the report, Naftogaz Group has signed the first agreement on the purchase of Azerbaijani gas with the SOCAR group company.
“The test delivery is carried out by the route Bulgaria – Romania – Ukrainian border. This is a small but strategically important step that opens the way to long-term co-operation. It is also another example of diversifying sources of supply and strengthening Ukraine’s energy security,” Koretsky said.
Earlier this year, Reuters quoted a source in the Ukrainian gas industry as saying that Ukraine had lost 40 per cent of its gas production after the Russian missile strikes and that Kiev planned to import up to 800 million cubic metres of gas from Europe to compensate for the losses.