Norway’s government said on Friday it was donating 1 billion crowns ($98.29 million) to Ukraine for the purchase of natural gas ahead of winter.
Ukraine had been forced to increase gas imports after Russian missile attacks damaged production facilities in the east of the country.
Analysts say Ukrainian gas reserves are at their lowest in 12 years, with storage facilities currently less than a third full.
“The timely and systematic assistance provided by the Norwegian government is extremely important for ensuring Ukraine’s energy security,” Ukrainian energy minister Svitlana Hrynchuk said in a statement.
The funds received will be used by state-run energy company Naftogaz to buy natural gas on the global market to build up sufficient gas reserves ahead of the heating season, she added.
Analyst ExPro said this month that Ukraine had 10 billion cubic metres of gas in its underground storage facilities as of August 5, pumping one bcm of gas to storage in the past 19 days.
Ukraine’s energy ministry has said the country needs around 13 bcm of gas in storage for the winter season.
($1 = 10.1738 Norwegian crowns)