Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Hanna Ligun met with the Special Envoy of the President of the French Republic for Assistance and Reconstruction of Ukraine Muriel Lacoux-Labarthe.
During the meeting, the Ukrainian side briefed the French partners on the situation in the energy sector after the most difficult winter during the period of the full-scale war and outlined the key priorities for preparing for the next heating season.
The following strategic areas were identified: protection of critical infrastructure, restoration of damaged facilities, development of distributed generation and formation of equipment reserves. Ukraine needs 5.4 billion euros to implement them.
France’s contribution to supporting the energy sector was separately noted, in particular the supply of 48 humanitarian cargoes (generators, power transformers, specialized equipment, cable products), as well as 5.7 million euros in contributions to the Energy Support Fund of Ukraine.
A Strategic Reserve with an available budget of 197 million euros has already been formed within the Fund. This mechanism allows for the accumulation of equipment for prompt repairs and increases the resilience of the energy system in the face of possible attacks in the next heating season.
The French side confirmed its readiness to continue supporting Ukraine and reported on the delivery of the next batch of aid. It also emphasized active coordination with international partners, in particular in the G7+ format.
The parties discussed current energy needs, joint projects for restoration and modernization, the development of distributed generation, integration into EU energy markets, as well as cooperation in the nuclear sector. (Energy Ministry)