To: Jennifer M. Granholm 
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20585  

John Podesta
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20500

Hon. John Kerry
United States Department of State
2201 C St. NW
Washington, DC 20520

Amb. Geoffrey R. Pyatt
United States Department of State
2201 C St. NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Ms. Granholm, Mr. Podesta, Hon. John Kerry, Amb. Pyatt,

My name is Svitlana Romanko, and I am a Ukrainian environmental lawyer, and Founder and Director of Razom We Stand (RazomWeStand.org), a group focusing on efforts to impose full embargo of Russian fossil fuels, and promoting green and sustainable rebuilding of Ukraine.

As a registered attendee at CERAWeek in Houston, I had planned on meeting with representatives of the President Biden Administration at the energy conference CERAWeek, however my registration was revoked on Sunday March 5, with no explanation, and I can only suspect the reason is because of my advocacy for clean energy and peace for Ukraine and globally.

Now instead of meeting in person, I write to request support for critical issues related to resilience of energy supply in Ukraine and critical role of decentralized renewables for energy security. The United States’ continued and valued support to Ukraine can help both to withstand ongoing attacks on our infrastructure and to transform post-war Ukraine into a clean energy model nation that can inspire the globe. To demonstrate this support, we make three important requests.

First, the US government should do more to change the energy security narrative and put emphasis on accelerated transition to clean energy, as it is fossil fuels, especially from Russia, that create energy insecurity. Fossil fuel price volatility has created instability for generations. We know that oil and gas prices will stay volatile and unpredictable, and fossil fuel dictators across the globe will continue to destabilize their regions. In contrast, renewable energy sources, like solar and wind power, come from free sources and provide predictable and stable prices, making renewable energy the only energy sources providing both energy and geopolitical security.

Second, we request that the US government more actively invest in renewable energy infrastructure, and stop the expansion of climate disrupting gas export projects. The US is exporting more gas than any other country in the world, making it all but impossible for us to reach our climate goals and objectives. Additionally, oil and gas companies with US capital and US-based shareholders are still working with Russia, for example on the Arctic LNG-2 project, and this must be stopped. Exporting more gas and the ongoing collaboration with Russia help fund the country’s efforts to further brutalize Ukraine. We need your help to curb US gas exports and the continuing investments in Russian fossil fuels.

Finally, we need the US to support our efforts to rebuild Ukraine's energy infrastructure using green energy. Ukraine cannot return to a reliance on Russian fossil fuels, and nuclear power is not safe from potential Russian aggression. Ukraine, however, has abundant sources of renewable energy, and active support from the US government to transition to a renewable energy future will be critical to our success. With 40% of Ukraine's energy infrastructure destroyed over the past year, and an urgent need to provide new resilient reliable energy, this is a moment for transformational energy change. Ukraine can become a shining global model of clean energy that might lead the world towards a real net-zero energy system.

Myself and our team at Razom We Stand are ready to help you find effective and inclusive ways to support Ukraine, the Climate, and American efforts to promote clean energy.

Please contact me to discuss areas of cooperation and mutual support.

Sincerely,

Svitlana Romanko
[email protected]
70 Sichovykh Striltsiv
Ivano-Frankivsk 78018
Ukraine