Ukraine is committed to the European Green Deal and wants to bring the country back into line with EU climate policy despite the devastating effects of war on the environment, said Kyiv’s Environment Minister Ruslan Strilets, to his European counterparts at Wednesday’s informal ministerial meeting in Prague.
Ukraine, of which 20% of its protected areas are threatened, already takes its environmental commitments seriously. The country’s environment ministry also makes documenting environmental crimes allegedly committed by the Russian military one of its priorities.
“Our territory includes the island of Dzharylhach, nicknamed the Ukrainian Maldives. The dolphins living there were not afraid of humans before, but now they are being killed by Russian mines,” Strilets said.
Several EU environment ministers have already offered their help to the war-torn country, said Czech Environment Minister Anna Hubáčkova, who chaired the meeting as her country currently chairs the rotating presidency of the EU Council. She also welcomed Ukraine’s commitment to European climate policy.
“The Green Deal is a fundamental axis of Ukraine’s recovery. We understand that Ukraine’s recovery must be green,” Strilets told EURACTIV.cz.
“We need to undertake reforms quickly,” he added.
According to Hubáčková, Ukraine’s EU candidate status means a serious promise that the country will adopt EU climate and environmental legislation.
“It will not be an easy path. We are ready to work step by step and offer Ukraine assistance for the legislation and the transition to the Green Deal”, added the Czech Minister.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Czechia also signed a memorandum on cooperation in environmental protection with Ukraine. The memorandum covers a range of topics, from the development of environmentally friendly technologies to water management and flood protection, waste management and air protection or conservation of nature.
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