Event: EU – Ukraine Energy Roundtable: Resilience in practice

Date: 08 October 2026
Time: 08:30 - 10:30
Venue: FES EU office, Rue Taciturne 38, 1000 Brussels

What does Ukraine's crisis experience reveal about energy resilience and what lessons can EU-Ukraine cooperation draw from it for stronger, shared preparedness? This is the core question of the upcoming breakfast roundtable organised by the FES Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country has demonstrated extraordinary resilience in maintaining, restoring, and continuously adapting its energy system under conditions of active disruption. Through the commitment of its institutions, energy professionals, and local communities, Ukraine has accumulated a unique body of practical experience in crisis response, infrastructure recovery, and energy system resilience.

At the same time, strengthening energy resilience has become a strategic priority for the European Union. Alongside decarbonisation, electrification, and competitiveness, increasing attention is being given to protecting critical infrastructure, ensuring preparedness, and rapidly restoring essential energy services. As Ukraine moves closer to the EU and deeper integration into the European energy market, its experience and future energy choices become increasingly relevant to Europe's shared energy future.

Together with Ukrainian experts and Brussels-based stakeholders, we will explore what worked, what did not, and what lessons can be applied, both for Ukraine's ongoing recovery and for Europe's shared preparedness ahead of the 2026/2027 heating season.

This event is held under the Chatham House Rule.

Programme

08:00 Registration and coffee

08:30 – 08:40 Welcome and introductory remarks

• Richard Probst, Director, FES Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice
• Mariam Matiashvili, Policy Advisor, FES Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice

08:40 – 09:00 Keynote

• Olena Pavlenko, President, Dixi Group
• Roman Nitsovych -Research Director, DiXi Group

The keynote will address two interconnected themes:

• Crisis Response in Practice: What Worked, What Didn't, and Why
• From Ukraine's Experience to Shared European Resilience and Winter Preparedness

09:00 – 09:20 Comments by:

• Bruno Gouverneur, Head of Market and Operations, ENTSO-E
• Christine Banken, Team Leader for Energy Security and Electricity, DG ENER
• András Hujber, Deputy Head of Unit, Relations with the Member States and the Energy
  Community, DG ENER, European Commission
• Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurelectric

09:20 – 10:30 Moderated discussion 

Moderator: Eliza Barnea, Policy Advisor, FES Competence Centre for Climate and Social Justice
 

The attendance is by invitation only.

If you have questions or you like to be invited, please contact:

• Content of the event: Eliza Barnea, Policy Advisor at FES Competence Centre Climate and Social Justice,
   Eliza.Barnea(at)fes.de
• Logistics of the event: Silke Lang, Office and Event manager at FES Competence Centre Climate and Social Justice,
    Silke.Lang(at)fes.de