Estonia joins international effort to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience through renewed Ukraine Energy Support Fund contribution  

Estonia's recent EUR 125.000,00 contribution to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund brings its lifetime donations to EUR 2.745.000,00. EUR 443.8 million is still needed to meet Ukraine’s priorities based on the EUR 650 million funding needs announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June and taking into account recent contributions secured since then.

Estonia has contributed an additional EUR 125.000,00 to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, bringing its total contribution to the Fund to over EUR 2.7 million. With around 70% of Ukraine’s pre-war energy generation capacity destroyed, according to the European Council, Ukraine is now preparing for a fifth winter at full-scale war.  In this context, further support like Estonia’s will be critical to helping energy companies secure the equipment and resources needed to repair damage, maintain essential services and respond rapidly to further attacks.

"Russia’s systematic attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are aimed at much more than destroying power plants and other infrastructure. Their goal is to break the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the country as a whole. I have also seen for myself, on the ground in Ukraine, how directly attacks on energy infrastructure affect people’s daily lives and how crucial a functioning energy system is to the resilience of society at large,"" said Estonia's Minister of Energy and the Environment, Andres Sutt."Energy security is one of the pillars of Ukraine’s ability to endure, and our additional contribution will help Ukraine respond more quickly to the consequences of the attacks and prepare for yet another winter. Estonia will continue to support Ukraine for as long as there is a need."

According to Foreign Minister of Estonia, Margus Tsahkna, Russia is waging a systematic campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, striking power stations, water systems, and heating facilities with the clear intent to leave Ukrainian civilians in the dark and cold. Our task is to ensure these attempts fail. Ukraine’s energy grid must be shielded, damaged facilities repaired without delay, and critical supplies sustained uninterrupted. Contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund directly reinforce Ukraine’s ability to keep its energy sector functioning under attack, and to remain resilient as winter approaches.

Following a joint call by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, the European Commission and the Energy Community Secretariat at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in June for EUR 650 million in additional support, with Estonia's and other recent contributions, approximately EUR 443.8 million is still needed to meet Ukraine’s priority energy needs before temperatures drop again.

“Estonia’s continued support for the Ukraine Energy Support Fund is a demonstration of the international determination needed to ensure that Russia cannot turn attacks on Ukraine’s energy system into a weapon against the country’s resilience, its people and its ability to withstand the war,” affirmed Energy Community Secretariat Director Artur Lorkowski. “We count on others to urgently follow Estonia’s example.”

The Ukraine Energy Support Fund has evolved into the principal mechanism through which international support is channelled to Ukraine’s energy system. To date, over 1 billion euros are contracted into supply contracts, from which over EUR 770 million worth of energy support has been reported delivered to energy companies spanning 23 regions in Ukraine.  A recently enhanced procurement process and newly established reserve of strategic energy equipment will help accelerate emergency response, improve preparedness and ensure that energy companies have access to vital resources ahead of and during the upcoming winter season.

In agreement with the European Commission and the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, the Ukraine Energy Support Fund was established to counteract the impact of the Russian attacks targeting critical energy infrastructure. The Fund enables governments, international financial institutions and international organisations, as well as NGO and corporate donors, to provide financial support to the Ukrainian energy sector’s efforts to repair that damage and keep functioning. Contributions to the Fund are used to finance the most urgent needs of Ukrainian energy companies such as equipment, spare parts and other technical items, as well as fuels and services needed to repair infrastructure and maintain energy and heat supply in Ukraine.  Current procurement opportunities can be found here.