Start: large-scale talks aimed at energy stability
According to Reuters, the joint venture of Greek supplier DEPA and construction group Aktor — Atlantic Sea LNG Trade — is negotiating long-term supply of up to 15 billion cubic meters per year of liquefied natural gas from the United States for a period of up to 20 years. The company plans to secure key agreements during a meeting in Washington on February 24.
Who this affects
Atlantic Sea LNG Trade imports LNG into Greece and resells it to Central Europe and Ukraine. The list of potential buyers includes Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Moldova, Austria and, possibly, Ukraine, the company's CEO said.
"If Europe does not want to become a hostage to gas again, it needs to secure long-term deals with the United States to preserve balance and keep gas available at reasonable prices in the future"
— Alexandros Exarchou, chief executive of Atlantic Sea LNG Trade (interview with Reuters)
Why now — the current window of opportunity
The company chief argues the urgency by saying that negotiations today give a chance to lock in competitive prices through 2030, when market conditions may become tighter and supply relatively smaller. This is a classic example of a hedging strategy against future risks.
Social proof: practical steps already taken
The first signal that the plans are real was the January 30 deal, when Atlantic Sea signed its first contract to supply U.S. LNG to Ukraine: supplier — BP, buyer — Naftogaz, deliveries are scheduled for March 2026. This demonstrates that negotiations are moving into the practical realm.
What this means for Ukraine
If a long-term deal goes through, Ukraine would gain an additional tool for diversification: not just one-off deliveries but regular volumes that can be incorporated into energy planning. This works in three directions: supply stability, pricing and geopolitical resilience.
At the same time, the actual effect will depend on logistics: the availability of terminals and regasification capacity in neighboring countries, transit agreements, and the speed of implementation of infrastructure projects.
Brief conclusion
The negotiations by Atlantic Sea LNG Trade are not loud PR, but part of a long-term game for Europe's energy independence. Reuters and the already signed contracts with BP and Naftogaz give weight to this initiative. The question now for the Ukrainian side and its partners is whether they will turn the current agreements into signed contracts and investments to take advantage of this window of opportunity?
