Ukraine Approves Joint Gas Transport via Trans-Balkan Corridor

Ukraine has approved a joint mechanism for importing natural gas through the Trans-Balkan corridor, a route extending from Greece to Ukraine via Bulgaria, Romania, and Moldova. This decision, endorsed by Ukraine's energy regulator and supported by transit operators from the involved countries, enables a single auction to allocate transportation capacity along the corridor, allowing imports up to 3 million cubic meters per day. The move aims to mitigate previously high transit fees that made this route commercially unattractive and to diversify Ukraine's gas supply sources amid ongoing shortages caused by Russian missile strikes and the country's strategic shift away from Russian energy. Ukrainian officials emphasize the importance of this route in strengthening regional energy security and deepening cooperation with EU partners, aligning with broader European integration goals. Ukraine's government is also securing LNG supplies from Poland and plans to meet its significant gas demand for the upcoming heating season through multiple alternative routes. Overall, the Trans-Balkan corridor represents a critical step in Ukraine's energy strategy to ensure reliable, diversified, and competitively priced gas imports.