At Brussels’ readiness conference, Kuleba revealed hard-earned lessons on protecting energy and water systems, hinting at scalable models other countries can adopt.
In Brussels, during the EU readiness conference, Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development, shared Ukraine’s experience in protecting infrastructure and transitioning from local solutions to a systemic resilience model.
The scale of the challenges is substantial. More than 3,000 critical infrastructure facilities require protection. Overall, implementing energy-security plans will require more than €5.4 billion
– Oleksiy Kuleba
He explained that Ukraine uses a holistic approach to protecting facilities: developing resilience plans for regions and communities that cover energy supply, water supply, and heating, with an emphasis on systemic thinking and inter-sectoral coordination.
He added that there are already examples of energy facilities with physical protection that withstand up to 40 hits and continue to operate.
– Oleksiy Kuleba
Our experience, undoubtedly, is shaping a new standard of infrastructure resilience. Ukraine has practical expertise that today is relevant not only for us but for all of Europe
– Oleksiy Kuleba
A Look at the Future and the Role of International Support
They also emphasize the role of international support, in particular EU assistance, which has helped navigate the most challenging periods, and express Ukraine’s readiness to share its experience with partners to strengthen security in Europe.
The two-day Brussels conference also began to mark the first anniversary of the Union’s Readiness Strategy. The Deputy Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Community and Territorial Development Oleksiy Kuleba was invited to attend the event. This is one of Europe’s leading events on security and resilience, which brought together government officials, military personnel, civil protection experts, and partners from many countries to identify joint solutions in crises.