New opportunities to unite the world around Ukraine at EU Green Week 2024 in Brussels: Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natutral Resources

On the sidelines of Green Week 2024, Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, told how last year, during Green Week, russians had blown up the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station. At that time, Ukraine became the centre of the largest man-made disaster of the past decades on the European continent.

It is symbolic that Green Week 2024 is about water. Every year, this major EU event dedicated to World Environment Day brings together politicians, the public, and businesses from across the continent to preserve the environment.

"For the third year in a row, at EU Green Week, we are highlighting the environmental damage caused by the hostilities. Ukraine ranks 85th out of 164 countries in terms of water shortages. The fighting is further complicating the situation. russians are shelling hydroelectric power plants, critical infrastructure and water supply facilities. The damage to water resources today is almost EUR 2 billion, with the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam costing more than EUR 3.5 billion. In total, the environmental damage for more than two years of war is equivalent to 20 annual UN budgets," said Ruslan Strilets.

The Minister of Environmental Protection stressed that this was the first EU Green Week for Ukraine as an EU candidate. "Despite the war, we are already thinking about how to achieve good water quality. The EU Water Directive is one of the most expensive to implement. We need to invest EUR 8.2 billion over the next few years to meet our water targets. This is a real challenge for Ukraine in times of war. However, our ambition to achieve 'good' water status is unchanged, regardless of the ambitions of the russian terrorists.

"Today, Ukraine is a voice for protecting the environment from hostilities.

More and more countries around the world are joining Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula and its Point 8 on environmental safety. Together with our partners, we are preparing for the Peace Summit to be held on 15-16 June in Switzerland," said Ruslan Strilets.

He thanked all the partners who are helping Ukraine to confront the enemy and called for unity to achieve peace on the continent. The efforts of the majority are the best guarantee of achieving a common goal.