Volodymyr Kistion: Energy security is a challenge that should unite the modern world within a broad political dialogue
Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Kistion has opened the IX International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development held under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.
"For a country that has a remarkable energy potential and adheres to the principles of sustainable development, it is a great honor to host events of the global scale and, at the same time, the opportunity to tell the world about its achievements", said Volodymyr Kistion in his opening statement.
The Vice Prime Minister emphasized that Ukraine that had faced a major gas crisis several years ago, set itself an ambitious goal: to get energy independence and become self-sufficient. The winter of 2014-2015 was the first in history when Ukraine completely lost its gas dependence on the Russian Federation.
"We had meneged to diversify the sources of gas supply and proved to the whole world that, even in the wake of the war, which still drags on in the east of the country, Ukraine remains a reliable transit country for gas to Europe", said Volodymyr Kistion.
The top official added that these challenges had forced us to think about global modernization of the fuel and energy complex of Ukraine. The Agreement on Association with the European Union and obligations assumed within the framework of the Energy Community have been and remain a roadmap for the Government.
"Together with our European partners, we have worked out and adopted key legislative instruments in order to form competitive gas and electricity markets. The Government is implementing three large-scale energy reforms - the reform of the gas, electricity and coal markets. All three of these reforms are intended to strengthen the energy independence of the state, liberalize the market, eliminate monopolies, and increase the energy efficiency of the Ukrainian economy in order to preserve the environment", said the Vice Prime Minister.
On a final note, Volodymyr Kistion emphasized that the issue of energy security and sustainable development has long ceased to be a passing fad. Today it is a challenge that must unite the modern world within a broad political dialogue.
"Ukraine is now struggling for the future of its gas transport system. "To kill" it is the target of a politically driven project Nord Stream 2, the implementation of which the European ecologists strongly oppose. This project has nothing to do with the economy, it contradicts the goals of sustainable development and is aimed only at gaining in Russia's influence on the European Union. Therefore, I call for unification and joint action to counter the threats to the sustainable development of our states", summed up the official.