Bloomberg reported today, Saturday, that Ukraine is in talks with the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) for a $1.5 billion loan to finance gas purchases.
According to the agency, this topic was revealed in a conversation between Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The agency did not specify at what stage negotiations on this loan will take place.
Yesterday, Friday, the chairman of the board of directors of the Ukrainian Naftogaz, Yuriy Vitrenko, announced plans to collect up to 15 billion cubic meters of gas by November. Prior to that, at the end of June, Vitrenko indicated that Ukraine was discussing with the United States the possibility of financing natural gas supplies to create reserves for the coming winter.
According to him, before the start of the heating season, the authorities intend to collect 19 billion cubic meters of gas in underground storage facilities, which means that additional costs of $8 billion will be required. In an interview with the British Guardian newspaper, Vitrenko admitted that without financial assistance from the West, Ukraine will face gas shortages in winter, which could lead to power outages in much of the country.
Last Tuesday, Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksiy Kucherenko warned that his country would not be able to collect gas for the winter in the planned volume.
Source: TASS