Ukraine agrees on gas imports from Greece, Zelenskiy says

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KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine will receive gas imports from Greece to help cover its winter needs, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday, pledging to secure nearly 2 billion euros to offset Russian attacks on domestic output.

“Today, we have already prepared an agreement with Greece on gas for Ukraine, which will be another gas supply route to secure imports for the winter as much as possible,” he said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

“We already have agreements in place for financing gas imports – and we will cover nearly 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) needed for gas imports to compensate for the losses in Ukrainian production caused by Russian strikes.”

Zelenskiy’s statement came ahead of his expected visit to Greece on Sunday, from where he is to travel to France and Spain.

Russia has stepped up strikes on power generation, electricity transmission systems and gas production facilities in the fourth year of its war on Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said Kyiv had allocated funds for gas imports from European partners and banks under European Commission guarantees, as well as from Ukrainian banks, while also working with U.S. partners to ensure full financing.

Ukraine is broadening its winter supply options through Polish partners, where it is cooperating with Azerbaijan and hopes to secure long-term contracts, he added.

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(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk in Kyiv and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by William Mallard)