28 October 2009
U.S., Ukraine Announce Bilateral Energy Security Working Group
Meeting focuses on reform initiatives in Ukraine’s energy sector
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
October 28, 2009
MEDIA NOTE
United States and Ukraine Announce Bilateral Energy Security Working Group
The government of the United States and the government of Ukraine warmly welcome the creation of a Bilateral Energy Security Working Group (BESWG) under the auspices of the Strategic Partnership Commission. The BESWG is co-chaired by Ambassador Richard L. Morningstar, Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, U.S. Department of State; and Sergiy Pavlusha, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Fuel and Energy, Ukraine. On the U.S. side, participants included representatives from the departments of Energy, Commerce and Labor; the National Security Council; and the Agency for International Development. On the Ukrainian side, participants included representatives from the Office of the President, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Energoatom, and the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
At the inaugural session of the BESWG on October 28, 2009, the two sides discussed the importance of working together to strengthen energy security for Ukraine and Europe. They evaluated results of the implementation of projects in Ukraine aimed at enhancing Ukraine’s energy security. In particular, the meeting focused on Ukraine’s energy sector reform initiatives, ongoing U.S. technical assistance to Ukraine in municipal heating reform and other sectors, and the potential for enhanced U.S.-Ukraine cooperation in energy efficiency and other new areas. The two sides also discussed promoting the participation of the U.S. and Ukrainian private sectors in energy development and the importance of successfully implementing cooperative projects in nuclear power.
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