Razom We Stand brought together government representatives, industry leaders, parliamentarians, civil society organisations and energy experts at a Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC) side event to discuss how decentralised energy systems can strengthen Ukraine’s wartime resilience while supporting its long-term clean energy transition and EU accession.
The event, Island-Mode Operation and Microgrids as Wartime Energy Resilience and Long-Term Energy Transition Solutions, explored how Ukraine can rebuild its energy system in a way that improves security, reduces dependence on fossil fuels, and creates a more resilient electricity network capable of withstanding continued attacks on critical infrastructure.
The discussion highlighted the urgent need to ensure that today’s reconstruction decisions do not lock Ukraine into long-term fossil fuel dependency, but instead accelerate investment in renewable energy, decentralised generation, and modern electricity infrastructure aligned with European energy and climate goals.
Moderated by Razom We Stand‘s Head of Programmes, Nik Meeusen, the panel included Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Oleksandr Krasnolutskyi; European Programme Director at Forum Energii, Dr Katarzyna Harpak, PhD; Head of Europe & North America, Mathieu CARLUER EDF and Yuliana Onishchuk, Founder and CEO of Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation. Together, along with attendees such as Ukrainian MP Andrii Zhupanyn, it was discussed how Island-Mode Operation and microgrids can provide reliable electricity to hospitals, water utilities, municipalities and other critical infrastructure during blackouts, while also serving as the foundation for Ukraine’s future energy system.
Speakers discussed the regulatory reforms needed to enable wider deployment of microgrids, including the legal recognition of island-mode operation, improved frameworks for local electricity exchange, and policies that encourage investment in decentralised energy solutions. The conversation also explored how these reforms can support Ukraine’s National Energy and Climate Plan while advancing the country’s integration into the European energy market.
The side event reinforced the strategic importance of aligning Ukraine’s recovery with Europe’s wider energy security and clean energy transition. Participants agreed that decentralised renewable energy systems, including microgrids and island-mode operation, offer a practical solution that addresses Ukraine’s immediate wartime energy challenges while supporting long-term decarbonisation and economic resilience.
Hosted alongside the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026, the event contributed to ongoing discussions on how Ukraine’s reconstruction can strengthen both national resilience and European energy security, demonstrating that investment in clean energy is not only a climate imperative but also a strategic necessity.
