Moldova welcomes the decision by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) to begin supplying Azerbaijani gas to Ukraine via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline.
This was stated by Moldova’s Minister of Energy, Dorin Dungiu, in a comment to Report, regarding the signing of the first gas supply agreement between Ukraine’s Naftogaz and SOCAR Energy Ukraine.
“Gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine not only strengthen the energy security of this country, but also bring direct benefits to the countries of Southeastern Europe,” he said.
The minister recalled that Moldova was the first country to test the viability of the Vertical Gas Corridor. Moldova became the first country to commercially use the Greece–Bulgaria interconnector and successfully tested the reverse flow of gas through the Trans-Balkan pipeline, delivering liquefied natural gas from the U.S.
“We have demonstrated from both a technical and economic perspective that it is possible to deliver gas from Greece to storage facilities in Ukraine, and these test gas supplies provided clear evidence for an alternative business model that was previously only available to the dominant Russian Gazprom model. Moreover, the opportunity to use transit infrastructure for gas storage in Ukraine is becoming increasingly attractive and accessible,” Dungiu emphasized.
He noted that today’s gas supplies from Azerbaijan mark a new stage in the region’s efforts to diversify energy sources and routes, as well as to strengthen energy security.
In May of this year, Moldova, along with four other countries on the Vertical Corridor route, launched “a new regional gas transportation product,” which involves transporting gas from Greece to Ukraine via the Trans-Balkan route.
“This product allowed the transportation of natural gas at a discount of at least 25% from June to October 2025. This model ensured a more efficient use of existing infrastructure and access to cheaper gas in the region, including Moldova,” the minister said.
As reported, Ukraine’s Naftogaz Group signed its first agreement with SOCAR Energy Ukraine on July 28, 2025, to purchase Azerbaijani natural gas. This agreement marks the first test delivery of Azerbaijani gas via the Trans-Balkan route through the Bulgaria-Romania-Ukraine corridor.
The “Vertical Gas Corridor” initiative aims to ensure the security and continuity of energy supplies, providing access to diversified natural gas sources for both Bulgaria and other countries in the Southeastern Europe region. The Vertical Gas Corridor includes pipelines in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and other countries.
The Trans-Balkan pipeline is a major gas pipeline running through Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
