President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine has begun selling power to the European Union via Romania as Russia restricts gas supply to the group, which is assisting Kyiv in fending off Moscow's invasion.
Many European nations, notably Italy and Germany, are heavily dependent on Russian gas to meet their energy demands, but as Moscow reduces delivery, they are being forced to explore for alternatives, according to AFP.
In a statement on Thursday, Zelensky said that Romania had helped Ukraine "start a large export of electricity to the area of the EU.
"This is only the first stage. We are preparing to increase supply." He said that "a significant part of the Russian gas consumed by Europeans can be replaced.
"It is not just a question of export revenue for us, it is a question of security for the whole of Europe," Zelensky noted.
Midway through March, the Ukrainian power grid was linked to the European grid, assisting in maintaining supply throughout the conflict.
Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, stated in a tweet that the exports from Ukraine "will provide an additional source of electricity for the EU and crucial financial aid to Ukraine. So we both win," she explained.
Following Russia's incursion in February, the EU firmly backed Ukraine, slamming Moscow with a flurry of sanctions and granted Kyiv "candidate status," a first step toward joining the bloc.
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