On April 13-17, a team of the DiXi Group think tank held a number of advocacy meetings in Washington, D.C., with representatives of the U.S. Congress, federal government, expert community and other stakeholders regarding further assistance to Ukraine and strengthening sanctions against Russia.
During the visit, the think tank’s President Olena Pavlenko, Vice President Anton Antonenko, and Research Director Roman Nitsovych met with representatives of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and executive departments of the U.S. federal government working on energy and foreign relations.
“The discussions focused on the prospects for additional support to winterization and recovery of Ukraine’s energy sector, initiatives regarding sanctions on Russia in the nuclear energy sector, and the implementation of restrictions already introduced,” Roman Nitsovych said following the meetings.
Among the recommendations regarding sanctions, the DiXi Group team advised to focus on legal entities and individuals associated with Rosatom that support Russia’s military-industrial base and participate in dual-use procurement; to strengthen oversight over implementation of the phase-out from Russian uranium imports under applicable law; review and, if necessary, narrow civil nuclear derogations; expand efforts by the U.S. and its allies to diversify nuclear supply chains.
Discussions also featured the specific legislative initiatives in the U.S. Congress. The counterparties expressed gratitude for the analysis provided by DiXi Group. emphasized the importance of obtaining up-to-date information on the humanitarian consequences of Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure, and expressed interest in the organization of joint advocacy events.
At meetings with American experts, including renowned think tanks like the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Brookings Institution, the Center for American Progress, and strategic advisors, participants discussed issues related to European energy security, enforcement of Russia sanctions, recovery and development of Ukraine’s energy sector amid the war and after the hostilities, areas of investment opportunities, and other topics of mutual interest.
Olena Pavlenko and Roman Nitsovych spoke at an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, having presented an overview of lessons learned to ensure the resilience of Ukraine’s energy sector amid the war. During the discussion, participants raised questions about decentralization of the power grid, approaches to offset a potential reduction in international aid, and the role of air defense capabilities. For more insights, please read the analytical paper “Holding the Grid: Ukraine’s Energy Resilience Playbook”.
The visit was made possible thanks to the support of the International Renaissance Foundation as part of the project “Strengthening Ukraine’s Resilience in Energy” (SURE).
