Green reconstruction. Post-war green recovery of Ukraine

by WiseEuropa

Giving the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine a green direction seems to be the only right path. Shared visions and goals with Europe can not only support the integration process but also facilitate Ukraine’s independence from fossil fuel imports from Russia and prepare the country for other important challenges of the future, related to the climate crisis.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which launched in February 2022, led to massive destruction of the country in a very short period. As a result of the warfare, buildings and infrastructure were destroyed, making some areas impossible to live in. The scale of destruction goes beyond the modern experience of Europe, which has been free of war for decades.

In May 2022, the launch of the Platform for Rebuilding Ukraine, co-led by Ukraine and the European Commission, was announced. This platform is intended to target a combination of investment and reform that will simultaneously support Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. Two criteria are to be crucial on this road: green and digital solutions. Thus, the priorities of Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction are meant to coincide with the direction of transformation that the EU itself is pursuing.

In June 2022, a historic decision was made to grant Ukraine candidate status for European Union membership. Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, implemented with EU support, may significantly shorten the country’s path to EU membership. Giving the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine a green direction seems to be the only right path. Shared visions and goals with Europe can not only support the integration process but also facilitate Ukraine’s independence from fossil fuel imports from Russia and prepare the country for other important challenges of the future, related to the climate crisis.