On Tuesday, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU is working to secure natural gas supply to Ukraine for this winter so that it is not affected by any output volatility from Russia.
"The Commission, together with Ukrainian experts, is exploring, right now, different scenarios to secure sufficient supply for Ukraine," von der Leyen said.
The Commission will also make sure that the member states of the EU raise gas supply capacity, which includes the option of working on arrangements to reverse the flow of an additional gas pipeline from Slovakia.
Ukraine’s energy position is currently cumbersome with its bilateral row with neighbor Hungary related to a new long-term energy deal Budapest signed with Russia which sidelined Ukraine as a transit country. The deal also raises concerns regarding Ukraine's ability to take reverse flows of Russian gas from Hungary.
Ukraine has called for the EU to investigate the deal, deeming it could violate EU energy rules. The country also wishes for Europe and the US to block the launch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which would also lessen Moscow's need to pipe via Ukraine.
In exchange for the help, the EU has urged Ukraine to speed up its domestic reforms and tackle corruption.
