HELSINKI – Ukraine and Greece agreed to launch a new gas transit route that will enable Ukraine to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States through Greek terminals, creating a new “south-north” corridor that both governments say will strengthen energy security across Europe.
The agreement, announced in Athens on November 16 during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s working visit, was formalized through a letter of intent between Ukraine’s Naftogaz Greece’s DEPA Commercial.
Ukrainian officials described the deal as a key element of a broader winter energy strategy aimed at replacing domestic gas production that has been destroyed by Russian attacks while also reducing Kyiv’s dependence on Russian fuel.
“Our agreements with Greece today are an important part of the large energy package that we have prepared for this winter to provide Ukraine with gas,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. He thanked Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, his team, and the companies involved “for making this possible.”
The declaration signed in Athens outlines plans for LNG to be shipped from the United States to Ukraine via Greece during the winter period.
According to DEPA, the gas will be delivered through “Route 1,” a path jointly operated by gas transmission operators in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. The first physical deliveries are expected to occur in January 2026, with the initial phase of the plan set for implementation in the first quarter of the coming year.
Mr. Mitsotakis framed the project as a strategic shift toward regional energy diversification.
“This is a new, safe energy artery that runs from south to north, from Greece to Ukraine,” he said, adding that the route from Alexandroupolis, Greece, to Odesa, Ukraine, would give Kyiv access to reliable energy sources while establishing Greece as a hub for supplying American LNG to Central and Eastern Europe.
He called the agreement a “catalytic” step that can move Ukraine toward independence from Russian natural gas and a contribution to the “energy stability, resilience and security” of the wider region.
DEPA emphasized that the cooperation marks a significant step in strengthening regional energy cooperation and European energy security. The use of the vertical corridor from Greece through southeastern Europe to Ukraine will better integrate U.S. LNG into the regional market and support diversification away from Russian supplies, the company said.
In Ukraine, the importance of the new route is tied directly to Russia’s ongoing attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.
In his evening address, Mr. Zelenskyy said that Kyiv has already secured financing for gas imports to compensate for nearly 2 billion euros’ worth of domestic production lost to Russian strikes. He noted that the government and the country’s European partners, including banks under European Commission guarantees, have allocated funds for the project, with Norway pledging additional support. Greece will serve as one of several winter import routes, alongside Polish and Azerbaijani options.
Messrs. Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis also discussed long-term arrangements for Ukraine receiving U.S. gas through Greece. The Ukrainian president thanked the United States and President Donald Trump for supporting access to American energy via Greek infrastructure, saying that “we will be able to receive energy from the United States through Greece.”
Energy cooperation dominated Mr. Zelenskyy’s meetings in Athens. During talks with Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas, the Ukrainian president thanked Athens for its “unwavering support” throughout the full-scale Russian invasion, including backing for Ukraine’s European integration.
Mr. Tasoulas reaffirmed that Greece’s position is rooted in respect for the United Nations Charter and international law. The two leaders discussed the gas agreement as a practical tool to help Ukraine endure the winter and potential cooperation on drones for both military and civilian use.
At the Hellenic parliament, Mr. Zelenskyy met with its president, Nikitas Kaklamanis, to thank Greek representatives for their military, financial and humanitarian support.
Mr. Kaklamanis said the Greek parliament would continue to stand with Ukraine and expressed hope for a ceasefire that could lead to a stable peace, emphasizing that such an agreement must be based on international law. The two sides also discussed increasing pressure on Russia, the use of frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine, and the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
Ukrainian and Greek officials both underscored the practical significance of the new gas corridor, which will operate at a time when Russia “practically every night” targets Ukrainian infrastructure.
Mr. Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs not only political statements but “substantive” support to maintain energy stability.
For Mr. Mitsotakis, the new corridor will position Greece as an important entry point and transit hub for transatlantic LNG flows.
The new corridor is expected to supply Ukraine with reliable and diversified energy during the harshest winter months. Officials on both sides described the agreement as a significant step toward Kyiv’s short-term resilience and long-term independence from Russian gas, while reinforcing Greece’s emerging role in Europe’s changing energy landscape.