Makogon: To fill the underground storage facilities by winter, Ukraine needs to pump three times more gas daily

In May 2025, Ukraine imported only 501 million cubic meters of natural gas, while the pace needs to be significantly increased to safely get through the winter, said Serhiy Makogon, former head of the GTS operator.

The average import volume in the last week of May was only 16.7 million cubic meters per day.

To fill the storage facilities to the required level by November, the daily volume of natural gas injected into the storage facilities must reach 50–52 million cubic meters, which is possible only if imports increase.

Last month, 54% of gas arrived in Ukraine through Hungary, 33% from Poland, and 12% from Slovakia.

According to Makogon, import capacities from Hungary and Poland for the coming month are fully booked. From Slovakia, only 2.08 million cubic meters per day out of the available 42 million cubic meters have been booked for July, meaning there is room for increased imports.

Europe has gas: a record 12.75 billion cubic meters of LNG (liquefied natural gas) was imported into the EU in May, and regasification terminals are only 53% full. This means that Ukraine can physically buy more.

In addition, gas prices are now relatively stable – around $420 per 1,000 cubic meters, which is significantly less than $590 in February, when Naftogaz was forced to make emergency imports.

The main problem, according to Makogon, is the lack of money. Current funding does not allow Naftogaz to purchase the required amount of gas.

Even if 400 million euros are attracted in the form of loans and grants, this amount is not enough to fully cover the needs.

• On June 9, it became known that gas reserves in underground storage facilities remain at a record low, but the backlog from 2024 is narrowing.