Kyiv has pitched Washington on ways it could help the US replace Russia in oil sales to Europe — as President Trump pushes the continent to divest from Moscow’s energy sector to end its brutal war on Ukraine, The Post can exclusively reveal.
Pipelines deep beneath Ukraine’s surface could help funnel fuel either drilled in the country through the US-Ukraine mineral deal or shipped in from the US, Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk told The Post.
The potential partnership means American oil companies could replace Moscow in Europe’s energy sector.
“Ukraine’s gas and oil infrastructure has always been a key part of European energy security because Ukrainian territory was like a transit from Russia to Europe — and we have very, very good gas and oil infrastructure,” Grynchuk said.
“The US and other international partners could use this infrastructure for ensuring European energy security by supplying it and also the storage potential of gas and oil in Ukraine.”
Ukraine has the most liquid natural gas storage in all of Europe.
Peace and profit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s top advisor, Andriy Yermak, said he briefly proposed the idea to US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week, telling The Post that Kyiv could help the US supplant Russia in providing oil to holdout European nations.
Should President Trump sign on, he could help end Russia’s war on Ukraine and boost the US economy in one swing by replacing Russian oil with American energy sales to Europe, Yermak said.
“I asked him to introduce me to your Secretary of Energy,” he said of his conversation with Waltz.
“I asked him that please, as soon as possible, please arrange the meetings [between US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Grynchuk,] and we can come.”
America’s potential interest in such an arrangement is unclear. Ukraine’s proposal is in the very early stages. Waltz’ and Wright’s offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.
“We need to work together, because Ukraine is the responsible partner [over Russia,]” Yermak said. “We are open. Let’s see things together, and let’s work together.”
Weaning Europe off of Russia’s energy sector is a key factor in pressuring Russian dictator Volodymyr Putin to end his war on Ukraine, Trump has repeatedly said.
As Moscow’s main source of funding for its war needs, the US president has been adamant that Europe must stop buying Russian oil.
Critics have argued that it would hurt Europe’s energy security — but Yermak counters that it would also open up opportunities for other energy exporters, such as the US, to fill in the gap.
In addition to importing American energy products for sale in Europe, Grynchuk said the US and Ukraine could also use their shared mineral deal to sell energy native to Ukraine to European partners, Grynchuk said.
That minerals deal — which is already in place — would see Kyiv and Washington splitting profits 50/50 on Ukrainian oil pumped by American companies and distributed through Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
In the meantime, Ukraine’s state-owned Naftogaz this year began focusing on partnerships with US energy companies.
American LNG now makes up 8% of its total supply — up from zero before Trump took office, the company’s CEO Sergii Koretskyi told The Post.
“We would like that to increase. We have not enough of our own production of natural gas, and I do not see the possibility to reach our energy independence in terms of natural gas in the coming years,” he said.
“We are also happy to provide [US] companies with our infrastructure and underground storage, and we are happy to purchase [US] LNG resources for our own needs.”
European hold-outs
President Trump for weeks has been hounding the European Union to divest from Russian oil — the Kremlin’s main source of income fueling its war machine.
The main holdouts are Slovakia and Hungary, as well as non-EU states such as Turkey and Serbia.
Zelensky has been working on Slovakia, meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico to urge the country to find other sources for its energy needs.
Both Yermak and Zelensky were optimistic about Bratislava’s propensity to find alternatives to Russian oil.
“We are ready to work together with European partners, if we can help and participate. And we have heard from Prime Minister [Fico] that he is open to find the alternative,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump called out Turkish President Recep Erdogan for his country’s Russian oil purchases during the leader’s visit to the White House last week.
“I’d like to have him stop buying any oil from Russia while Russia continues its rampage against Ukraine,” Trump said of Erdogan. “[Moscow has] lost millions of lives already, and for what? You know, for what? Disgraceful.”
Hungary remains loyal to Russian oil, at least for now — but Yermak said he believes Trump is the one world leader who could loosen Moscow’s hold over Budapest.
“The United States has great relations, good relations, and has the influence over the prime minister of Hungary,” he said.
Serbia is interested in ways to “diversify” its energy needs through the US sector, its Foreign Minister Marko Đurić told The Post. However, it has no plans to cut off its reliance on Russian oil, as the Kremlin has owned the majority share of Serbia’s Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) oil and gas company since 2008.
Instead, Belgrade has been seeking continued delays on sanctions that would target NIS due to its Russian-majority ownership.
Those sanctions, which the US Treasury initially placed on Russia’s oil sector in January, were postponed multiple times but are now set to go into effect on Oct. 8.
“Serbia values the understanding shown so far by the Trump Administration in relation to the NIS sanctions issue, particularly with regard to the need to safeguard the region’s overall energy stability,” Đurić said.
“Our foremost objective is to ensure a secure and reliable energy supply for our citizens and to sustain the growth of our economy.
“In this spirit, we are continuing our dialogue with US partners to find a long-term and sustainable solution that is acceptable to all sides.”
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