Cooperation in the energy sector has been and still remains one of the key priorities in partnership between Ukraine and the European Union and one of the most efficient directions of implementation of the EU - Ukraine Association Agreement. This was stated by Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman during the negotiations with Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič.

The Head of Government stressed that the current year had been a breakthrough as a strategic vision of the development of domestic energy sector had been elaborated. Thus, among the achievements are the approval of progressive legislation in energy efficiency sector, the endorsement of the Energy Strategy of Ukraine up to 2035, the determining of principal development benchmarks for Ukraine as a gas transit country and the state possessing an extensive network of gas storage facilities that could become part of a pan-European gas distribution and transmission network.

"I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the European Commission in facilitating negotiations on attracting international companies to the consortium for managing the Ukrainian GTS, which has proved its reliability and capability to provide uninterrupted gas transit," said Volodymyr Groysman.

As a separate issue the parties touched upon the implementation of energy efficiency projects and participation of the EU in financing of the Energy Efficiency Fund enshrined in legislation, the unbundling of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine, the operation of the National Regulator of the Electricity and Utility Services Market, as well as the possibilities for further integration of the Ukrainian electricity market into the European one.

"We are grateful to the EU countries that agreed on the initiative of Ukraine to connect in the future its energy system to the continental energy system of Europe and to offer, within the framework of the Memorandum on strategic cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the energy sector, to exchange views and the status of the implementation of this project on a regular basis," emphasized Volodymyr Groysman, "We would also be very grateful for the possible support from the EU side for the development of the gas market in Ukraine with the use of the gas exchange, which is the next stage in the development of the gas market in Ukraine."