The Ukrainian government on Tuesday asked Washington to provide Kyiv with a “lend-lease” program to import natural gas from the US to ensure Ukraine has enough gas for heating this winter, Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal said on Tuesday.
The idea is for the US to provide gas to Ukraine and collect payment at a later time, similar to the World War II-era lend-lease program that was revived this year to facilitate military aid to Ukraine.
“Preparation for the most difficult winter in our history continues, and in this preparation we are looking for all possible tools to be ready for any scenario,” Shmyhal wrote on Telegram.
According to Foreign Policy, one of the proposals that has been floated by Ukrainian officials would be for the US to provide Ukraine with 6 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) without collecting payment for two years. The US would deliver the LNG to terminals in Europe, where it will be shipped to Ukraine via pipeline.
Yuriy Vitrenko, the CEO of the Ukrainian state-owned gas company Naftogaz, discussed the lend-lease proposal in Washington earlier this month. “They were surprised to hear such an idea, but it was well received,” Vitrenko said.
It’s estimated that the 6 billion cubic meters of LNG would cost about $8 billion. So far, the US has authorized $54 billion to spend on the war in Ukraine, more than half of which is for military aid. But the US is expected to spend more as the current funding is only meant to last through September 30.
I see Ukie’s missiles hitting oil storage in the Russophile places, I wonder how this 8 billion cubic meters of LNG will be turned over to Ukraine. They may be sorry for hitting the Russian oil, come this winter when the Russians start on their gas, storage, pipelines tanks, ships and anything to facilitate heating. Karma’s a bitch…
We already gave them money and and weapons, now they want free energy too? I’ve had enough of my inflation tax used to fund war. Go pay for your own war…or better yet, start negotiating for peace!
Who knows, maybe they won’t have a cold winter.
Ukraine is counting on global warming?
We’re collectively doing everything we can to speed it up, dusting off Europe’s coal plants and all, it might just work. It’s not even the most risky gamble being made with this stupid proxy war, just in the top 3.
Sometimes one must read sarcasm between the lines.
Hi Analyzer, I can’t find what you said without installing Discuss on my computer? Is that true?
It’s always cold there in the winter … Now, is it going to be Siberia cold or just Chicago cold, that we don’t know.
Sure what else would you like? Perhaps America can transfer any and all holding in gold plus other nations currencies held by the US government.
Would you also like America to just send the printing presses for $100 bills along with the paper and ink.
Maybe America can also provide all of it’s young men to fight your battles and a few aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines fully armed with nukes.
While you are at it why don’t you ask America to send a herd of unicorns to Ukraine.
Don‘t forget 10% for the big guy
Oh I think Biden will do it.
Don’t think they won’t get that.
Ukraine could not and often did not even pay Russia for gas during peacetime. It was a broken corrupt economy before the war.
We’d never be paid. Nobody should imagine it. They are asking for a gift, a really big gift. Among many really big gifts.
And one that US ratepayers will deeply resent.
The US is discovering why mother Russia kicked Ukraine out of the nest. What goes around comes around. This time it is the US who can’t afford to keep up with a richer and more powerful rival. A key difference between the US and USSR implosions is the ideal of real democracy is fairly well understood by the non fascist portion of the population, which is approximately 83%.
the US is the world’s largest producer of natural gas
And that is relevant.
If I was trying to come up with a unifying conspiracy theory to explain recent events, it would look something like this:
1) The US is a large producer of natural gas, and its export isalmost entirely via ship.
2) Export via ship to Europe isn’t cost-competitive with Russian natural gas via pipeline.
3) But if the price of Russian natural gas can be driven up (or just cut off), US natural gas can be price-competitive in Europe.
There are problems with that theory, though.
Upping US export will require massive investment in more ships and more facilities for liquefying and storing the stuff., which will take years. At the moment, the US is apparently screwing over its Asian and Central/South American markets to send LNG to Europe.
Which creates an opportunity for Russia to snipe those Asian and South American markets. Except that doing so would also require massive investment in new pipelines, ships/liquefication facilities, etc., which would also take years.
And while those possibilities play out, regular people everywhere are going to suffer.
i have a theory re korea – i believe that north korea has been demonized for so long because south korea is the end of a peninsula and totally reliant on uncle sam for it’s natural gas and oil. if north korea were not the bad guys then there would be pipelines from china directly to the tip of south korea. maybe.
The massive investment would require time to amortize. That means some assurance that Russian gas will stay off the market for many years.
Russian gas will increasingly find its way to markets as the price differential increases. Its axiomatic
Another beggar country like Isitreal?
I’m afraid that we’ll have a lot more “beggars” right here in Amerikkka, since soon none of us will be able to afford to eat.
I’m afraid that we’ll have a lot more “beggars” right here in Amerikkka, since soon none of us will be able to afford to eat.
America’s No.1 Welfare Queen….
I’m thinking of calling my natural gas provider and float something similar by them. I can’t afford to eat anymore since we’re all Ukrainians now.
Or Russian’s wanting to end this ripoff…!!!!
Count me in as Russian, Mv!
Interpretation: the Russians have taken most of Ukraine’s coal mines and Zelensky does not expect to get them back before winter starts.
Great Idea; except Ukraine, especially a diminished Ukraine, will NEVER be able to pay the US, or anyone else, back. Add in the earlier article, that Ukraine wants all existing creditors to agree to relieve Ukraine of any payment responsibility for existing debts, indefinitely, and that the US and EU should provide $5 BILLION per month in “general operating costs” so Zelensky can continue to fly around the world begging for even more money, AND the insane demands for hundreds more tanks, APCs, IFVs, Howitzers, MLRS, drones, and now, modern fighter aircraft, plus training, plus ammunition, plus spare parts, for “as long as it takes”.
And people are still taking this imbecile seriously???
He should be taken seriously as a threat to the American dollar as if that is not serious. Every dollar or dollars worth of stuff he gets, makes your pay and mine buy less of everything. Today I got a caulking tube of roof cement. It was $9.79. Last time I got one, it was $2.79.Empires collapse when their money becomes badly devalued. That is NOW and it’s here. Ditch your dollars for something that can’t be printed, or made with a few keystrokes. Gold, silver, guns real estate, tools, paintings, antique jewelry.
Inflation has elevated to the point of insanity, Mv. Glyphosate, which I require for two very long gravel driveways, has more than doubled in price since last year.
I purchased a tub of margarine at Meijers the other day for $6.29. Before the war it was $3.49.
We not only need to feed ourselves, but our four-legged family members as well, of which we have several.
Correct me if I’m wrong, please, people. Doesn’t giving away ( and that’s what it amounts to) our gas to the Ukrainazis indicate that WE will be continuing to be bled dry at the gas pump?
Ukraine is a nation of shameless beggars. I have lost any shred of sympathy I may have ever had for them, and the very name “Ukraine” makes me ill.
As well as the name “ByeDone”.
That is the whole idea. How to take over the resources of Ukraine because Ukraine will never be able to repay the lend lease loans. The fly in the ointment of course is Russia, which at the present time, is in control of 50% of the annual GDP of the whole of Ukraine ie the Donbas + ostensibly Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Odessa Oblasts when Russia completes the SMO. I assume Russia will leave the rump of Ukraine to the EU and or Poland and who ever else wants a basket case.
It would never occur to them to use their brains and negotiate an end to the war.
We need to pray, “Dear God, let it rain brain. ”
I tried it, but praying does not work, maybe God locked all the doors and windows so he can take a nap, a long one.
Hi Renate
I don’t believe in god, per se, but if he did exist I think he threw up his hands in disgust and said, “Humanity, you’re on your own “.
Why yes, it’s not like we have a homeless issue and a collapsing middle class in the United States. Give them whatever they ask for to fight the war you started in 2014 Joe. Finish the job while you finish us off.
All part of the plan.
Biden: “Ok son, what else you need? Never forget Hunter’s 10%.”
The EU will be totally Jealous if this goes through…!
The USA doesn’t have the capacity in lng ships to supply Europe, and Europe doesn’t have the infrastructure to handle the lng even if the USA could ship enough.
The EU made their own bed by going along with the crazy sanctions war against Russia.. They should be stocking up on blankets and warm clothing. Winter is coming.
Anything you ask, Ze. Who cares about anyone else including your own men and women you are sending to their deaths along with the weapons you think are going to solve your huge problems?
In the details, “the lng would be shipped to Europe, where it would be offloaded and delivered to Ukraine via pipeline”. So European countries, suffering their own gas shortages due solely to their support of Ukraine, should allow their facilities to be used to provide gas to Ukraine….for FREE! Hell of a deal; Zelensky must have some sort of ninja mind-control powers he is exerting over everyone to be able to make this proposal without being laughed off the stage.
Why would we give anything more to that basketcase or s**thole of a country?
Thousands of those people coming across our southern border are being flown to cities all over the US, except the rich vacation areas, where the white liberals like to congregate and hobnob with their own. Let’s get some “strength thru diversity” in those areas, like Martha’s Vineyard, so those people can realize all that strength too. Tucker Carlson did a great monologue with those suggestions last night.
Would that be the same Martha’s Vineyard that has a large immigrant community (the largest component being Brazilians) that’s worried about the ICE gang? The Martha’s Vineyard with an average wage 29% less than the state average and rent 17% higher than the state average? That Martha’s Vineyard there?
Yes – the one that has a permanent population of 17,000 that swells to 200,000 during the summer when the hootie tooties go there and live it up. That’s the Martha’s Vineyard that needs more diversity during the summer – just move those illegals there, then. The Hamptons need more strength thru diversity too. So does Hilton Head – they are so lacking in “strength thru diversity”.
Aspen CO needs much much more strength thru diversity too
White: 88.87%
Asian: 4.95%
Two or more races: 3.43%
Other race: 1.59%
And then you have the New Yawkers and DCers bitching about getting some of the people they love. Big supporters of illegal immigration (yes illegal), until they get an influx of them.
Is your community where you live doing its part and taking in the unvetted populations?
My area (north central Florida) has a pretty large population of immigrants.
My impression is that many of them don’t have the permission slips the US Constitution forbids the federal government to require. According to my daughter, who worked at a convenience store near several large construction sites, most of the workers there spoke little or no English, got paid in cash (and in turn paid at the store in cash), etc.
I’d rather they stayed here than ran off to Martha’s Vineyard. When it comes to willingness to work and preferring to avoid government rather than order everyone else around using government, they greatly excel most Americans in my experience.
I do agree that there are exceptions. I’d be happy to see Ted Cruz sent back to Canada, Marjorie Taylor Greene deported back to Mars, etc.
WoW..!!! You are really showing your ignorance of the history of Martha’s Vineyard and, really the early American relaity of the maritime nature of of life there. I presume you never read Moby Dick by Mellville. Early America and the islands thrived by worldwide trade, and whaling was the star. Wales ships toured the whole world and made vast fortunes that are still in tact today. Those ships would pick up strong men from Africa, South America and Pacific Islands along their way to and from the whaling grounds in the South Pacific. Many ended up in New England. Martha’s Vineyard became a black summer resort back in the 20s when blacks who worked for the U.S. gov. Bought property as the economy crumbled. They still own many of the best ones and they have a tendency to keep them in their family.
When the Russians cut off gas supplies to Ukraine some years ago because Ukraine refused to pay the market price, the Ukrainians started to syphon off Russian gas sent via Ukraine to Europe. That gave impetus to building NordStream 2 to become independent of Ukraine.
Perhaps Europe can syphon off US LNG destined for Ukraine.
FUCK Joe Biden!
Another incisive comment
Go ahead, send the gas. Russia will appreciate the extra gas once they control Ukraine and can give the finger to the US over paying it back. Rather than “bleeding Russia” with this war, Russia is bleeding the US and the EU dry while Russia is rolling in cash and their economy gets better every day.
I often wonder if Victoria Nuland has some how gotten herself running the day to day operations and strategic thrust of this war. Statements by Zelinsky that “No negotiations until all of Ukraine is empty of Russian forces sounds like her thinking. Maybe the tooth fairy will give her another $5 billion so she can bribe the Russian troops to leave for Moscow so she can claim victory in her quest to weaken Russia and save her face for foolishly losing Crimea to Russia with her 2014 coup. This woman is totally out of touch with the present reality.
A Ukrainian Member of Parliament just exposed an $8 Billion embezzlement scheme from the Ukrainian energy company that Ukraine want the US to bail out.
Interesting the the embezzlement amount is the same amount Ukraine wants from America.
Steal from American taxpayers and return a share of the loot to the American politicians/warmongers.