On February 14, the first joint event of the Kyiv Security Forum and MSC took place as part of the 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC). The roundtable discussion “Energy Warfare: How to Unplug Tyranny” brought together leading experts to discuss the critical state of Ukraine's energy sector due to Russian attacks and the response and assistance of allies.

Opening the discussion, the Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, cited data from a sociological survey commissioned by the Kyiv Security Forum on the eve of the MSC. Today, 75% of Ukrainians either have very poor electricity supply or are completely without electricity; 40% have poor heat supply or are without it altogether.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk emphasized that the reason for this is direct aggression by the Russian Federation: “This is, in fact, obvious. Russian troops and Russian air strikes — this is the reason for the lack of light and heat cited by more than 78% of Ukrainians.” According to the data provided by the Chairman of the KSF, 47% of respondents blame local authorities for this issue, 17% blame the central government, 20.5% blame private and municipal service providers, and 6% blame citizens who do not save electricity.

At the same time, he noted that Ukrainians highly appreciate the work of domestic specialists: “The work done by technical and energy companies is simply tremendous.”

Arseniy Yatsenyuk called on the international community to abandon any illusions about a quick end to the war or the aggressor's readiness for negotiations: "It is absolutely clear that Russia is not ready for negotiations. It is also clear that this war will be a long one. We expect that spring will mitigate the effects of winter, but in any case, we must be prepared for next winter," he stressed.

Arseniy Yatsenyuk paid special attention to the issue of defending the energy system, emphasizing that it is practically impossible to physically protect facilities from constant attacks. In his opinion, the only real chance is to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles as a means of deterrence. “Only if Russia realizes that it will have to pay for its aggression, will this work. Otherwise, no system will solve the problem of breaking through the defense,” the KSF Chairman stressed.

The Chairman of the KSF suggested that the participants of the event address the European Commission and the governments of EU countries with a clear list of necessary steps and resources that will allow the Ukrainian energy sector to survive next winter and avoid the humanitarian crisis that Putin is counting on. Obtaining the necessary financial support and equipment will take considerable time, so such an appeal will serve as an urgent call to action.

The roundtable event was held at the Ukrainian House in Munich, a venue that is operating directly within the MSC for the first time this year. The discussion was also attended by DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko, Naftogaz Group Director of International Affairs and Sustainable Development Oleksiy Ryabchyn, former Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolev, former CIA Director General David Petraeus, former US Special Representative Kurt Volker, and other diplomats and experts.

The Kyiv Security Forum was founded in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The Munich Security Conference is the most influential international forum for discussing global security issues.