The development of hydrogen energy will allow Ukraine to gain full energy independence and achieve climate neutrality. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a plenary meeting of the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels on Wednesday, December 15, Ukrinform reports, citing the president’s website.
According to Zelensky, three flagship initiatives of the Economic and Investment Plan endorsed after the Eastern Partnership summit are of particular importance for Ukraine.
The first one is the modernization of checkpoints and border infrastructure. The support of the EU in this matter will be very valuable for Ukraine. In this context, Zelensky also noted the importance of concluding an agreement on the liberalization of road transport.
The second initiative, according to the head of state, concerns digital transformation and IT infrastructure. He recalled that the public services portal Diia, which is already used by more than 11 million Ukrainians, has made Ukraine one of the leaders in digital services. The next step is the launch of the Diia City platform, which will help create the most powerful IT hub in Eastern Europe, and other ambitious innovative projects. A practical result on this road would be the abolition of roaming charges between the EU and partners.
The third initiative, Zelensky said, lies in the field of energy efficiency and hydrogen energy, which is important to Ukraine and its energy security.
Zelensky said that a large-scale thermal modernization project will be launched in Ukraine next year. The country is also ready to become a leader in the development of hydrogen energy, which will allow it to gain full energy independence and achieve climate neutrality, he added.
“In all these projects, Ukraine counts on the support of the EU and international financial institutions,” he said.
He also mentioned the current security threats in the region, to which the EU must respond adequately. These include the application of sanctions policy, the strengthening of energy security, etc., Zelensky said.