By Fang Wei-li
and Jonathan Chin /
Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan and the Czech Republic on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to support Ukraine in building infrastructure, particularly in light of Russia’s ongoing threats to target energy and water facilities during winter.

Representative to the Czech Republic Ke Liang-ruey (柯良叡) and Czech Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei Representative David Steinke formalized the agreement via teleconference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.

The bilateral initiative is part of an ongoing effort that began in 2023 to ensure access to water and energy for civilians in Ukraine, it said.

Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

As part of this collaboration, Taiwan and the Czech Republic have deployed mobile water filtration systems benefiting 380,000 residents in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said.

In addition, the two nations are operating combined heat-and-power generators in Kharkiv Oblast to strengthen Ukraine’s energy grid resilience and ensure that 60,000 residents in the region would have electricity during the winter, he said.

Both regions are under threat of Russian incursions.

Taiwan continues to work closely with the Czech Republic and other like-minded allies to support Ukraine, he added.

Czech Governmental Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Tomas Kopency said the project is a unique trilateral model of cooperation that has provided water to civilians in the hardest-hit areas of Eastern Ukraine.

The project, which has been continually improved over the past two years, is a model of efficient multilateral cooperation and a milestone in the friendship between Taiwan and the Czech Republic, Kopency said.

Taiwan has joined forces with multiple European governments to assist with Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, the ministry said.

The government has plans to expand its cooperation with Kyiv in more fields, including other forms of humanitarian aid, collaboration in education and projects to bolster the latter’s resilience, it said.

Taiwan’s participation in these efforts shows its deep commitment to international cooperation, and the universal values of freedom, peace and human rights, it added.