US may control Ukraine's gas infrastructure in ceasefire
The U.S. government is considering taking control of Ukraine's energy infrastructure as part of a ceasefire agreement with Russia. This includes managing power plants and other energy assets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy noted that discussions mainly focused on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. However, Ukraine is also beginning to import U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meet local demand. Since Donald Trump took office in 2017, he has encouraged Europe to reduce its reliance on Russian gas. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many European nations stopped buying gas from Russia and turned to U.S. LNG instead. As a result, U.S. gas exports to Europe have increased significantly. Ukraine traditionally relied on Russian gas imports, but this changed when all Russian gas flows through Ukraine ceased in 2025. Currently, Ukraine has made agreements to buy more U.S. LNG and wants to boost these imports. The U.S. presence in Ukraine's gas storage could help protect it from Russian aggression. Ukraine lacks the facilities to directly import U.S. LNG. However, gas can come through pipelines from regasification terminals in Poland, Germany, and Greece. Analysts predict that U.S. gas export capacity will grow significantly in the coming years, with expectations that Europe will remain a key market. Ukraine has the largest underground gas storage in Europe, capable of holding over 30 billion cubic meters of gas. This storage is essential for managing demand in Europe and could facilitate U.S. LNG sales. While Ukraine had harmonized its gas regulations with the EU, the increased Russian attacks on its infrastructure have limited its ability to fill storage facilities. The country's pipeline system is designed for large-volume gas transport and can supply Europe efficiently. If U.S. LNG imports into Ukraine increase, they could lead to significant gas flows reaching Europe’s markets through existing pipelines that were once used for Russian gas.