KYIV, June 22 – Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said at a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that the development of "green" energy will open up new opportunities for Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry reported.

"For Ukraine, the development of alternative energy sources, especially renewable ones, brings great relief and opens up new opportunities. Ten years ago, the share of solar and wind generation in our economy was almost imperceptible. Now it is an important element of Ukraine's energy balance," he said.

The European Union in its energy strategy had identified Ukraine as a priority partner in the supply of "green" hydrogen to the EU market and assured that the country is purposefully working to prepare for its export, he said.

Kuleba said Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline undermines the energy security of Europe and violate the European principles of diversifying the energy market. He said the only goal of this project is to bypass Ukraine for political reasons.

Kuleba pointed to increasing cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey in the Black Sea region. "The Black Sea is now full of threats due to the temporary occupation of Crimea by Russia. But Ukraine and Turkey are the two most geographically stabilizing forces in the Black Sea region. We have excellent cooperation in almost all directions. Energy is one of them."

According to him, one of the important elements of strategic energy stability and diversification in this part of the world is the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP).

"We also expect Turkey's completion of a new canal that will connect the Black and Mediterranean Seas. This will create new opportunities for the supply of LNG gas to countries of the Black Sea region,” he said. (tl/ez)