Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said that his country has agreed with Greece on the import of gas in a bid to help cover Kyiv's needs during winter.
“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,” Zelenskyy said in a morning video statement shared on US social media company X.
Expressing that Ukraine already has agreements in place to finance gas imports, Zelenskyy went on to pledge to secure nearly €2 billion ($2.3 billion), which he said is needed to compensate for losses in domestic production amid ongoing Russian airstrikes.
In this regard, Zelenskyy noted the support of Ukraine’s European partners in financing Kyiv’s needs, as well as ongoing work with the US in order to secure full financing.
“We are creating broad opportunities for winter supplies. In particular, through our Polish partners, and we are working actively with Azerbaijan - and we very much count on long-term contracts. We have discussed this with the president recently,” he also said.
Zelenskyy’s remarks come as authorities reported airstrikes on multiple regions of Ukraine overnight, during which its air force claimed on Telegram that its air defenses shot down 139 out of 176 various types of drones launched by Russia.
The regions affected by the overnight attacks include the southwestern Odesa region, where Governor Oleh Kiper said energy facilities, including a solar power plant, were damaged.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its air defenses shot down 57 Ukrainian drones launched on seven regions of the country, of which 23 and 17 were intercepted over the Samara and Volgograd regions, respectively.
Moscow and Kyiv have frequently traded accusations in recent weeks about targeting each other’s energy facilities as winter approaches.
The Ukrainian president also said that a “historic” deal has been prepared with France, which he noted will significantly bolster Kyiv’s combat aviation, air defense, and other defense capabilities.
“According to the visit schedule, this will take place on Monday. The substance of the visit is good. This is what truly helps Ukraine defend itself and achieve our goals and tasks,” Zelenskyy said, stating he will also travel to Spain the following day.
He hinted at resuming peace negotiations with Moscow to end the over three-and-a-half-year Russia-Ukraine war.
"We are also counting on the resumption of POW (prisoners of war) exchanges – many meetings, negotiations, and calls are currently taking place to ensure this," he added.
On Saturday, Ukraine's National Defense and Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov wrote on US social media company Facebook that he held consultations in Türkiye and the UAE, mediated by partners, on the resumption of prisoner swaps between Moscow and Kyiv.
"As a result of these negotiations, the parties agreed to activate the Istanbul arrangements. This concerns the release of 1,200 Ukrainians," Umerov wrote, adding that technical consultations will take place in the near future to finalize all procedural and organizational details.
Russia and Ukraine held three rounds of renewed peace talks in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul — on May 16, June 2, and July 23 — resulting in major prisoner swaps and draft memoranda outlining respective positions for a future peace deal to end the conflict, which has continued since February 2022.
By Burc Eruygur
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr
