As German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck makes a surprise visit to Ukraine, he will be discussing power grid resilience, which is essential after recent devastating Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Ukrainian press reports that he plans to specifically discuss energy rebuilding and distributed generation using German components with local Government leaders.
Ukrainian group Razom We Stand, an international group with a focus on peace and clean energy, issues the following quote:
Svitlana Romanko, Founder and Director of Razom We Stand, emphasised, "The war on Ukraine is a tragic reminder of what can happen when fossil fuel-funded dictators continue to receive cash from Europe, and of the benefits for peace and stability that a durable shift to renewable energy would bring. As Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck meets Ukrainian officials this week, it must also be pointed out that Germany continues to import gas from Russia, sending cash to Russia, which Putin uses to fund his war chest and brutally attack us here in Ukraine. Germany must immediately stop buying energy from Russia, support a complete embargo on Russian fossil fuels, and stop all investment in and collaboration with Russian energy projects.
We are very thankful that Germany has committed to supporting a rapid rebuilding of Ukraine's energy system. German firms can benefit from the investment guarantees offered by the German government for Ukraine. However, these efforts should not be used to rebuild old polluting Soviet-era energy plans reliant on fossil fuels, which might need to be imported from Russia. The solution is decentralised energy systems that are resilient to attack and are based on wind and solar energy, which provide real energy security. With success in cheaper, rapid clean energy rebuilding, the current catastrophic situation could turn into a hopeful global model of energy security, as well help Ukraine become a climate-solving leader that is a beacon of light to other European countries."
The investment requirements for reconstructing Ukraine's power sector, extensively harmed by Russian assaults, are estimated to be over $17 billion USD, and this figure has likely grown after recent attacks. It should be noted that global subsidies of fossil fuels in total were a shocking $7 trillion last year, according to the IMF, and according to Bloomberg, climate disruption is set to cause $38 trillion a year in damages by 2049.
According to a recent study in Potsdam, climate change will cause massive economic damage to Germany, with serious negative economic consequences and a negative impact on German GDP. To help solve such costly climate problems, Razom We Stand has recently released a report entitled "Ukraine's power sector outlook for 2023-2024: investing in old coal-fired power plants or new decentralised green generation?" The group encourages German firms to support Ukraine's clean energy rebuilding, benefitting Ukraine, Germany, and the world.
Razom We Stand is a Ukrainian organisation active internationally, calling for a total and permanent embargo on Russian fossil fuels and an immediate end to all investment into Russian oil and gas companies by phasing out fossil fuels globally.
Svitlana Romanko was recently quoted on the White House's official website in response to the Biden administration's decision to pause LNG exports and has appeared in top-tier international press, including Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Politico, Bloomberg, The Hill, Financial Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde; a detailed list is here.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact
Paraic Walker - press@razomwestand.org
International Communications Specialist Razom We Stand
