Ministers discuss Ukraine’s route to a resilient and decentralised energy system

Ministers and high-level representatives from across Europe and international organisations convened in London today for an in-depth discussion on the future of Ukraine’s energy system.

Co-hosted by the IEA, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the EU Delegation to the United Kingdom, the event welcomed decision makers from Ukraine, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as part of an orbital programme for the international Summit on the Future of Energy Security taking place on 24-25 April.

In a keynote address, Ukraine’s Minister for Energy German Galushchenko outlined the country’s urgent needs for energy security and ahead of the coming winter and ambitions to build a clean, decentralised energy system. The event was chaired by IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol with an opening keynote address from the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Edward Miliband and speeches from European Commission Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jørgensen and EBRD Managing Director for Sustainable Infrastructure Harry Boyd-Carpenter.

The discussion brought together key international partners to examine immediate and long-term priorities for Ukraine’s energy sector, which has suffered from years of bombardments since Russia’s invasion in 2022. In his welcome remarks, Dr Birol highlighted Ukraine’s resilience in rebuilding energy infrastructure as well as the need to bring on significant amounts of distributed energy resources to strengthen security.

Speakers reflected on lessons learned over the past three years of conflict. Secretary Miliband underlined the United Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine’s energy security and broader reconstruction, as well as the importance of cooperation among Ukraine’s partners to be able to assist its recovery. Ms Juul Jørgensen highlighted the European Commission’s priorities for continued support to Ukraine, as well as Ukraine’s potential to become a clean energy hub that contributes to wider European energy security. Mr Boyd-Carpenter spoke on the critical role of international financial institutions in delivering immediate support and mobilising long-term investment. He emphasised the need to attract private sector participation, particularly in renewable energy and distributed generation.

In closing, Minister Galushchenko responded to the panellists’ interventions, reiterating Ukraine’s resolve to maintain energy system operations in the face of continued attacks and to advance a long-term vision aligned with its National Energy and Climate Plan.