Mr. Chairman,

The Delegation of Ukraine warmly welcomes Mr. Maroš Šefčovič, the Vice-President of the European Commission, to the Permanent Council and thanks him for his today’s presentation. Ukraine aligned itself with the statement delivered by the European Union, but we would like to make some additional remarks in the national capacity.

We are pleased to note that co-operation on energy issues belongs to key priorities of intensive dialogue between Ukraine and the EU. Ukraine is determined to further pursue implementation of a comprehensive set of energy reforms in line with the Third Energy Package, including establishment of a competitive electricity market, enhancing efficiency of Ukraine’s gas transportation system and facilitating cross-border electricity trade. We are grateful for the continuing support in the energy sphere that Ukraine receives from the EC.

Ukraine’s aim is to strengthen national energy independence and to bring a substantial added value to the European energy system, its resilience and stability. Undertaken commitments are establishing a new level of solidarity and support, in particular, in the field of development of the critical energy infrastructure. Mutually beneficial cooperation represents an important part of European integration of Ukraine, rooted in established Ukraine-EU framework, and is essential for meeting our obligations under the Energy Community Treaty.

Energy security is a critical component of security of states, having a direct impact on their stability, economic development and prosperity. As the European security order has been attacked in the past three years by one country, resorting to flagrant breach of norms of international law and the Helsinki Final Act principles through the use of a broad variety of instruments, adequate account must be given to the attempts of using energy supplies as an instrument of sowing divisions, coercion and destabilization. Ukraine is a country targeted by a hybrid external aggression. Among many aspects of solidarity and response, it remains critically important that the strategic role of Ukraine as a gas transit country with an established record of reliability is not undermined by politically motivated, legally dubious and economically unsound energy projects aimed at creating new dividing lines and zones of exclusion in Europe.

 In conclusion, we thank you again, Vice-President M. Šefčovič, for your today’s address and reiterate Ukraine’s interest in continued resultful co-operation in the energy field.

 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.