In preparation for the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Dialogue between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Roman Andarak met with UK Minister for Energy Michael Shanks.
The agenda covered emergency assistance to Ukraine’s energy sector, increased international attention to Ukraine, nuclear safety, investment attraction, exchange of experience, and the introduction of innovative technologies.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks emphasized that the United Kingdom remains a reliable partner of Ukraine and is ready to continue supporting the country in confronting Russian aggression and energy terrorism. “We take the ongoing threat to Ukraine very seriously, and we consider the UK’s relationship with Ukraine to be extremely important. The United Kingdom remains fully committed to working with Ukraine,” he stated.
The United Kingdom has already made a significant contribution to stabilizing Ukraine’s energy system, allocating EUR 156.3 million to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund to repair damaged generation and distribution facilities and to procure critical resources and equipment for uninterrupted power supply. During the meeting, the British Minister announced an additional UK contribution of GBP 10 million, which is expected to be provided in the coming weeks.
In addition, Michael Shanks noted that the UK will continue to strengthen international support and coordination for Ukraine’s energy sector, in particular through its participation in the G7+ Energy Coordination Group and other international platforms.
Roman Andarak briefed his British counterpart on the current situation in Ukraine’s energy system, the measures taken by the Government to strengthen nuclear safety, and the progress in restoring the New Safe Confinement over Unit 4 of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which was damaged by a Russian drone. He highlighted that Ukraine is interested in joining efforts with British partners to increase pressure on Russia to stop energy and nuclear terrorism, as well as in receiving technical expertise and exchanging experience to support the development of the nuclear energy sector.
The parties also agreed to deepen cooperation and knowledge sharing through innovation-focused partnerships, including the InnovateUkraine initiative, as well as through closer interaction between institutions and businesses in the UK and Ukraine. Such cooperation is expected to facilitate the implementation of best practices, promote the deployment of new technologies, and increase investment in low-carbon growth sectors in both countries.
The meeting also addressed the strengthening of the institutional capacity of Ukraine’s Green Transition Office. The United Kingdom will continue to support the Office to enable the effective implementation of the National Energy and Climate Plan, advance Ukraine’s European integration efforts, and attract investment to achieve the set objectives.
In addition, the parties discussed key reforms currently underway in Ukraine’s energy sector, including EU market integration, strengthening the independence of the energy regulator, and reforming the corporate governance system.
“From the very first days of Russia’s full-scale aggression, the United Kingdom has been and remains one of Ukraine’s key strategic partners in the areas of energy security, recovery, and clean transition. We are grateful to our colleagues for the substantive dialogue and productive joint work, which contributes to strengthening the energy resilience of both countries and developing our joint potential. Today’s meeting is another step toward deepening and detailing our cooperation. The strategic dialogue also serves as a platform for the practical implementation of agreements under the 100-year Partnership Agreement. It allows us to agree on common priorities and ensure continued support, thanks to which Ukraine is able not only to restore its energy system, but also to develop business ties, integrate advanced technologies, attract investment, and shape a modern energy policy,” Roman Andarak emphasized.
