Zelensky: Ukraine can become green energy hub for Europe

“We are ready to help stop the price chaos in Europe. While Russia is making efforts to increase gas shortages on the market and prices, Ukraine is willing to increase electricity exports to EU countries. The return of the Zaporizhzhia plant to a safe mode of operation and its connection to the Ukrainian power grid is important particularly for this as well. The Russian presence at the plant significantly weakens our ability to help Europe in the energy sphere,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address to the participants in the annual international economic Ambrosetti Forum.

As noted, Ukraine’s electricity exports can stabilize the energy consumption of our neighbors in the EU and hence to reduce Russia's energy pressure on the whole of Europe, and therefore on Italy.

In this context, Zelensky said that even now Ukraine could export such a volume of electricity that corresponds to at least eight percent of the consumption of the whole of Italy.

The Head of State also stressed that Ukraine could become a green energy hub for Europe to replace Russia's energy resources.

“Our country has a huge natural potential for the development of capacities in green energy and in the production of green hydrogen. This is a potential of at least tens, and possibly hundreds of gigawatts of green electrical power and millions of tons of green hydrogen. It is important that there is already an infrastructure for transporting electricity and hydrogen to the EU,” Zelensky said, noting that Ukraine has always kept its word on providing Europe with energy resources.

As reported, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission led by Director General Rafael Grossi arrived in Ukraine and visited the Russian-captured Zaporizhzhia NPP on September 1.

Five representatives of the IAEA mission remained at the ZNPP.

The ZNNP, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been captured by the Russian military since March 4, the invaders have placed military equipment and ammunition in the plant’s territory and have been shelling the surrounding area.

The United Nations, the United States, and Ukraine called on the Russian Federation to withdraw military equipment and personnel from the nuclear facility.

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