German authorities denied supplying gas to Ukraine, but transit via an LNG terminal continues

Germany’s federal government has rejected claims that it is “sending gas to Ukraine” at a time when its own storage reserves are low.

Berlin says this is neither a government decision nor “German supplies,” but commercial transit: U.S. LNG is passing through the LNG terminal on the island of Rügen, which Ukraine’s Naftogaz is buying from TotalEnergies.

The dispute was prompted by Naftogaz’s announcement of an arrangement with TotalEnergies: LNG is shipped by tanker from the United States to Rügen, regasified there, and then transported onward via pipelines through Germany and Poland. Experts emphasize that, legally, the gas belongs to the Ukrainian side throughout the process—Germany is acting as a transit country.

However, the scandal highlighted something else: for the public, the line between “transit” and “supplies” is blurred, and authorities and agencies end up explaining it only after the fact, once politicians and social media have already amplified the story. At the same time, the Federal Network Agency acknowledges that, in theory, gas from German storage sites could also end up in Ukraine—via private traders, if it is profitable.

A separate issue is transparency and accountability among the counterparties. Ukrainian authorities and state-owned companies regularly announce purchases and routes, but public details on price, volumes, transit risks, and the ultimate beneficiaries are often insufficient—fueling suspicion and political speculation on both sides of the border.