Key facts
- President Zelensky has urged Ukraine's energy sector to accelerate preparations for winter.
- He warned that reforms and resilience efforts are lagging behind.
- Ukraine has not secured funding for its 5.4 billion euro energy resilience plan.
- State-owned energy companies are criticized for failing to implement meaningful reforms.
- Zelensky praised the performance of Ukrnafta and Naftogaz.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a more rapid and decisive approach to preparing Ukraine's energy sector for the upcoming winter, citing insufficient progress in reforms and resilience efforts. During a meeting with Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal on July 12, Zelensky emphasized that current intergovernmental agreements are inadequate and that Ukraine needs to strengthen its energy infrastructure.
He warned that any lag in implementing high-quality resilience plans for regions and communities poses a threat to citizens' lives. Reports indicate Ukraine is underprepared and has not yet secured the necessary funding for its 5.4 billion euro ($6.2 billion) energy resilience plan. Officials anticipate this winter could be more severe than the last, which saw widespread blackouts and heating outages due to Russian attacks on energy facilities.
A significant challenge highlighted is the lack of reforms within state-owned energy companies, which are primary suppliers of Ukraine's energy. Zelensky had previously announced an overhaul of these companies following a corruption scandal at the state-run nuclear operator Energoatom. He reiterated on July 12 that the transformation of these companies must be accelerated to bolster national resilience, noting that entities like Energoatom have failed to enact substantial reforms.
In contrast, Zelensky commended state-owned oil and gas companies Ukrnafta and Naftogaz for meeting their performance targets despite ongoing Russian attacks. He discussed further resilience strategies with Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi. The president also conferred with Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, suggesting the city's successful winter preparedness last year could serve as a model for other Ukrainian cities. This contrasts with Kyiv, where Mayor Vitali Klitschko and the central government have reportedly engaged in blame-trading over the capital's inadequate readiness for the winter.