At a meeting in Vienna, Austria, the ambassadors of the partner countries discussed ways to further support Ukraine’s energy sector affected by russian aggression. In particular, they discussed financial contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

The event was opened by Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organisations in Vienna, Rasa Ostrauskaite, Permanent Representative of the European Union to the OSCE, and Artur Lorkowski, Director of the Energy Community Secretariat.

The meeting was also attended by Dirk Buschle, Deputy Director of the Energy Community Secretariat in charge of the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, and Marie-Therese Richter-Kuhnert, Head of the Fiduciary Working Group on Financing for Ukraine and Moldova at the Energy Community Secretariat.

Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko addressed the participants.

“We are facing one of the biggest energy crises in the history of our country, and we need your support. To help us cope with the situation, the Energy Community Secretariat has established the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. This transparent and effective initiative will provide important assistance in restoring the energy infrastructure damaged by the russian attacks,” the Minister said in a video message.

German Galushchenko noted that the Fund had already successfully procured or was in the process of completing the procurement of goods for the repair of energy infrastructure. These procurements include current transformers, welding machines, circuit breakers and other equipment needed for the restoration work. In total, contributions from donors who have already pledged to replenish the Fund amount to more than EUR 219 million (of which EUR 155 million has been deposited and the remainder publicly pledged by potential donors).

The Ukraine Energy Support Fund was established in April 2022 by the Energy Community Secretariat on the initiative of European Commissioner Kadri Simson. The Fund enables governments, international financial institutions and private donors to provide emergency assistance to Ukraine’s energy sector.