Atlantic Council: Ukraine Could Become A Key Storage Site For U.S. Natural Gas In Europe
- 2.10.2026, 10:17
This overlaps with one of the United States’ most ambitious projects in the energy sector—the “Three Seas Initiative.”
Due to shelling by the Russian Federation, Ukraine has gone from having no significant direct ties to the U.S. liquefied natural gas market in 2025 to becoming one of the most dynamic buyers of American LNG in Europe. As noted by Atlantic Council, this shift underscores why Washington should view the sale of LNG to Ukraine as a strategic necessity.
“Russian attacks on Ukraine’s domestic gas production have destroyed up to 60 percent of production capacity by 2025, forcing the country’s state-owned energy giant, Naftogaz, to rethink its import strategy. The response was impressive in both speed and scale,” the publication notes.
Currently, Naftogaz has established four separate channels for importing LNG from the U.S. These include the Polish terminal in Świnoujście in partnership with Orlen, the Lithuanian terminal in Klaipėda in partnership with Ignitis, a floating terminal in Mukran (Germany), and the Greek terminal in Revithoussa via the “Vertical Corridor.”
“Ukraine has the largest underground gas storage facilities in Europe, with a capacity of over 30 billion cubic meters. A significant portion of these storage facilities is located in western Ukraine, near the border with the EU, at depths that provide reliable protection against Russian airstrikes. “If logistical and security challenges can be successfully resolved, these gas storage facilities could potentially become a key distribution hub for American gas supplied to Central and Eastern Europe,” the article notes.
At the same time, Europe is already on track to source about two-thirds of its LNG imports from the U.S. this year. This will allow the U.S. to overtake Norway and become the continent’s largest supplier.
“Ukraine’s network of storage facilities and import terminals helps strengthen this position. This could help solidify Europe’s move away from Russian gas at a time when Russian LNG exports to some EU member states are on the rise. “Through further investments in improving integration, Ukraine can help provide Europe with the infrastructure needed to expand LNG imports and meet seasonal spikes in demand,” the publication states.
It is precisely in this context that Ukraine’s purchases of U.S. LNG intersect with one of the United States’ most ambitious projects in the energy sector—the “Three Seas Initiative.” This initiative brings together 13 EU member states—from the Baltic to the Adriatic and Black Seas—with the goal of creating new “north-south” energy infrastructure to serve Central and Eastern Europe.
““Ukraine now has the opportunity to strengthen its position as a strategic commercial ally of the United States and help ensure that new LNG supply corridors delivering American gas to Central and Eastern Europe become permanent features of the regional energy map,” , writes the Atlantic Council.
Experts believe that the development of the “Three Seas Initiative,” with Ukraine as a key partner in the field of storage, could help Europe ease its transition away from a dangerous dependence on Russian energy exports. This development will provide a reliable alternative for countries that have long relied on Moscow for energy supplies but now wish to reduce that dependence.
“For decades, Russian gas was transported westward through Ukraine to European markets. This trade suffered serious disruptions as a result of the full-scale invasion in 2022, and European countries have committed to ending imports of Russian energy in the near future. Gas from the U.S. has now begun flowing into Ukraine and its gas storage facilities. Provided there is sufficient additional support from Washington, this trend could benefit Ukraine, Europe, and the U.S. economy,” the article concluded.