Energy

Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and Western partners have agreed to allocate more than €600 million in support for Ukraine’s energy sector following a meeting in Paris, according to Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal. The funding package includes more than €250 million in contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, a separate United States assistance programme worth $276 million through the SPARK project, and €71 million in humanitarian energy assistance from France to be provided during 2026. The Paris meetings brought together representatives of the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, Latvia, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Finland, and France. The support comes as Ukraine faces urgent needs to expand its energy generation capacity. Ukrainian officials have said that around 9.5 GW of new capacity will be required in the near future to stabilise the country’s energy system.

US Vice President JD Vance announced a $9 billion U.S. investment in Armenia’s nuclear energy sector during a visit to Yerevan, saying the two countries had completed negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation framework that will enable joint projects, including the use of US small modular reactor technology. Vance said the initiative aims to strengthen Armenia’s energy security while creating jobs in the United States. At a joint briefing with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Vance also confirmed that Washington had approved the sale of V-BAT drones to Armenia in a deal worth $11 million. The US vice president voiced support for Pashinyan ahead of Armenia’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 7, describing him as a partner capable of building long-term cooperation with Washington. Vance also commented on the implementation of the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" project, which, in his opinion, will radically change the entire South Caucasus, open "a new world for international trade, transit and energy flows, and provide unprecedented connectivity between Armenia and neighboring countries." US Vice President Vance visited Armenia on Monday (9 February)>, where he held talks with prime minister Nikol Pashinyan. On Tuesday he is expected to go to Baku to meet President Ilham Aliyev.