The eight Nordic and Baltic countries cooperating in the NB8 format — Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden — will explore opportunities to mobilize additional financial, material and technical assistance for Ukraine ahead of the 2026/2027 winter. The partners will also continue coordinating such support through existing mechanisms.
This is stated in a joint statement by the NB8 countries, published on 4 September following the first meeting of the energy ministers of the eight countries in Tallinn. A significant part of the document is dedicated to support for Ukraine and preparations of the Ukrainian energy system for the 2026/2027 winter.
The document emphasizes that, wherever possible, urgent assistance to Ukraine should strengthen the long-term resilience of the energy system, support its decentralization and further integration into the European energy market in line with Ukraine’s National Energy and Climate Plan through 2030.
At the same time, the NB8 countries stressed that Ukraine is not only a partner requiring continued support, but also a source of valuable practical experience in maintaining and restoring energy supply amid prolonged physical and cyberattacks.
“Preparing the energy system for the 2026/2027 winter is one of our key priorities. We are working with our partners to ensure that the necessary equipment, technical assistance and financial support reach Ukraine in a timely manner and meet our actual needs. We are grateful to the Nordic and Baltic countries for their readiness to work on mobilizing additional resources. Ukraine has indeed accumulated significant practical experience in maintaining and restoring energy supply amid prolonged enemy attacks. We are ready to share this experience with our partners, including in the area of energy infrastructure protection,” First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal stated.
The NB8 countries separately emphasized the importance of protecting Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, describing this as an issue of regional and international security. The statement notes that Russia’s war has created unprecedented risks to nuclear safety and security, including through repeated losses of external power supply, threats to the physical integrity of facilities, pressure on personnel, disruptions to supply chains and emergency response mechanisms. The NB8 countries noted that Ukraine’s experience demonstrates the need to place nuclear safety, security, resilience and emergency preparedness at the centre of European energy planning, particularly in light of the plans of a number of countries to introduce or expand the use of nuclear energy.
Background:
The Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) has been a regional cooperation format for eight Nordic and Baltic countries — Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden — since 1992. In 2026, Estonia holds the NB8 chairmanship. The NB8 countries are among Ukraine’s most consistent international partners. At a meeting in Kyiv in 2026, the NB8 leaders pledged at least €918 million in support to ensure Ukraine’s energy supply and protect and restore its energy infrastructure.
