Special Focus

Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Yulia Kirnytska

Energy is not just a physical quantity; it ensures the heartbeat of Ukraine, the functioning of everything: from enterprises to our homes, everything we use. Previously, young people might only sometimes think about where energy comes from and how important energy security is. However, with the full-scale invasion of Russia, the word blackout appeared in the dictionary of every Ukrainian. It seems that it was then that we felt how vitally necessary and more important than ever a stable energy supply is. It turned out that ensuring a steady energy supply in war conditions is quite a challenge.

Essay of the Winner of the Contest,  Mykyta Klochko

The energy security of the state means, in fact, much more for each of us than it first appears. Its components include protection against destruction, availability of particular sources of energy from other states, and the energy behavior of each consumer. I want to tell you how I gained insights into this issue and its role in my life.
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Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Sophiia Zhyvogliad. 

Ukraine's energy security determines not only the country's economic development but also its national security, independence, and the fate of millions of citizens. In this essay, I want to share my opinion on strengthening energy security for Ukraine and me.

Strengthening Ukraine's energy security will allow us to reduce our...

Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Nazar Batechko

Ukraine's energy security is a crucial component of the country's national security and provides stable and reliable access to energy resources to ensure the needs of our society and economy. Energy security includes a variety of aspects, such as diversification of energy sources, effective use of available resources, development of alternative and renewable energy sources, and reduction of energy dependency. Energy security also foresees effective preventive measures against potential emergencies in the energy sector, such as power cutoffs or interrupted gas supply.

Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Anton Darnytskyi

Ukraine's energy security is one of the most critical components of the country's national security and is an integral part of Europe's energy security.

A country's energy security means confidence that fuels and electricity of adequate quality are available, affordable, and can be supplied in stable ways under both normal conditions and in emergency situations. In other words, energy security means protecting the state, its citizens, and the economy from an energy deficit.

Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Maryna Bodia.

From dawn to dusk, I look at our city, hoping that our energy system will survive despite current challenges, and I would like to share my thoughts about energy security and why it is the most important for our country.

Now, we understand the importance of a stable energy supply in a special way. Last winter, we often had power cuts in our city. And although it has become a habit for us, these power cuts caused inconvenience and stress. We were forced to use candles and look for heating sources to warm ourselves when the district heating was off. Such power cuts affected our everyday routine, and we understand it may keep affecting us in the future.

Essay of the Winner of the Contest, Julia Zhuk

Energy security is one of the most important components of national security for any country, including Ukraine. This term covers a comprehensive set of issues that allow the sustainable, reliable, and efficient operation of the energy sector of the country, is crucial for its economic growth, social development, and national security. The dependence on imported energy sources, in particular coal and gas, makes Ukraine especially vulnerable to external influences and geopolitical risks. The energy security of Ukraine is also related to ecology issues, such as air pollution and climate change, as a considerable amount of energy is generated using coal.

Since 2018, USAID through its Energy Security Project (ESP) has been providing comprehensive technical assistance to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine (MoE). This assistance is aimed at strengthening the country's energy security, integrating Ukrainian energy markets into European ones, and reforming the energy sector following the principles of sustainable and reliable energy supplies, energy affordability for Ukrainians, and efficient operation and development of energy infrastructure.

February 24 marks one year of full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine. The United States Government continues its unabated support to the Government of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. USAID’s Energy Security Project (ESP) is leading the charge to restore the energy sector, rehabilitating critical infrastructure destroyed by Russia’s bombing and building enhanced system resiliency so the...