Experts recommend that Ukraine develop a strategy for joining the EGD
Ukrainian stakeholders need to develop a strategy for the planned accession of Ukraine to the European Green Deal (EGD). It should include steps to implement in the course of 10-15 years the elements of active decarbonization and the unification of the approaches of Ukraine and the EU to this process.
This is stated in the research by professionals of the Program of European Studios “Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” in partnership with the Representative Office of the F. Ebert Foundation in Ukraine “Ukraine’s place in the common energy policy of the EU: a recipient of practices or an initiative partner”.
Analysts of “Ukrainian Prism” interviewed Ukrainian and European experts, including on the issue of prospects for Ukraine’s accession to the EGD.
In particular, Olena Pavlenko, President of the DiXi Group Think Tank, noted in an interview that the European Commission has made great progress in this context.
“In the new package of documents and strategies of the institution regarding energy, Ukraine holds a prominent place and is a participant in many promising programs and new agreements this year. In fact, the task of both sides at this stage is to define clear chronological boundaries, indicators of success and start the implementation of new strategies”, said Olena Pavlenko.
In general, all the experts interviewed within the framework of this study spoke positively about the possibility of Ukraine joining the EGD, although, as Olena Pavlenko emphasized, Ukraine as a candidate country cannot become a full-fledged part of this policy at the moment.
However, from the point of view of resource and technical potential and possible positive impact, according to Olena Osmolovska, Head of the Reforms Delivery Office at the Ministry of Energy, the state is already capable of being a constructive part of the EGD.
The interviewed experts noted that in the relations between the EU and Ukraine, a joint policy regarding the green transition, further decarbonization and abandonment of fossil fuels is a long-term, strategic perspective. However, the current tactical tasks do not allow us to talk about the success of initiatives in the field of Ukraine joining the EGD in the short run.
Let us remind that in 2020, the Ukrainian government began negotiations with the EU on joining the European Green Deal. Joining this initiative would additionally stimulate the Ukrainian state to increase the share of alternative sources in energy production and would provide access to investments for the implementation of such a goal.
Read more about the implementation of EGD principles and goals in Ukraine in 2022 in the annual monitoring report “Ukraine and the European Green Deal”.
