KYIV, June 8 – The Ukrainian gas sector remains operational, demonstrating resilience and reliability even in times of war, but it needs external help to prepare for the accumulation of natural gas for the heating season, Naftogaz Ukrayiny CEO Yuriy Vitrenko has said.

So far, in the gas sector Ukraine is doing fine, Ukraine is showing its strengths and its resilience. But we would need again help for the next heating season, because Ukraine would need to import up to 6 billion cubic meters of gas," he said, speaking at a meeting of the US Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission) in Washington on Tuesday evening.

At current market prices, it's about $8 billion," Vitrenko added.

According to him, this is a big challenge for Ukraine at the moment, but work is underway with the U.S. government about finding more commercial ways, export financing, guarantees.

Even considering such an option as using gas as a part of the Lend-Lease," the head of Naftogaz said.

He said that the oil infrastructure of Ukraine was badly damaged by the war: two of the two oil refineries were mostly destroyed by Russian missiles, oil product depots, oil infrastructure, unfortunately, were significantly damaged. (om/ez)