Aviation Fuel – The Foundation of Flight Safety: A Timely and Relevant Discussion on the Future of Aviation Fuel Supply in Ukraine.
On May 29, 2026, a roundtable event titled “Technological Transformation of Aviation Fuel Supply: Safety, Environment, Digitalization and Accounting, Human Capital” was held in the main building of the National University “Kyiv Aviation Institute.” The event was organized by the “Airports of Ukraine” Association of Civil Aviation in collaboration with KAI researchers and with the support of the NGO “International Academy of Education and Science.”
The event was held in a hybrid format (offline and online) and brought together representatives of government agencies, airports, aviation companies, international organizations, the scientific community, and industry experts to discuss key directions for the development of Ukraine’s aviation fuel supply system in preparation for the resumption of civil aviation operations and further integration into the European aviation space.
The relevance of the event stems from the fact that aviation fuel supply is one of the key components of flight safety, and its modernization, digitalization, and harmonization with international requirements are essential prerequisites for the resumption of operations at Ukrainian airports.
Iryna Zarubinska, Vice Rector for International Development and Civil Aviation at KAI; Petro Lypovenko, President of the “Airports of Ukraine” Civil Aviation Association; and Serhiy Puzik, First Vice President of the NGO “International Academy of Education and Science,” addressed the participants with welcoming remarks.
The event took on particular international significance thanks to the participation of representatives from Airports Council International Europe (ACI EUROPE), of which the Ukrainian Airports Association has been a full member since 2014. The roundtable was attended by Alexandre de Joybert, Director of Sustainable Development at ACI EUROPE, and Sebastien Colmant, Director of Security and Cybersecurity at ACI EUROPE, who presented European approaches to the development of the aviation industry, particularly in the areas of security, digitalization, environmental transformation, and staff training.
The roundtable also featured leading industry professionals, scholars, and experts, including: Dmytro Kushpil, Head of the Aviation Infrastructure and Transportation Sector at the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine; Dmytro Buhayko, Ph.D. in Economics, Professor of the Department of Logistics, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Education at the National University “KAI,” ICAO instructor, Corresponding Member of the Transport Academy of Ukraine, and Academician of the Academy of Economic Sciences of Ukraine; Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Oleksandr Zaporozhets (Institute of Aviation, Warsaw, Poland); Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Ecology, Chemistry, and Chemical Technology at National University “KAI” Larysa Chernyak; Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor at National University “KAI,” Professor at the National Aviation University Serhiy Puzik; Ph.D. in Engineering, Associate Professor at National University “KAI” Volodymyr Melnyk; Ph.D. in Engineering, Associate Professor Ihor Trofimov; Associate Professor Denys Navrotskyi; Ph.D. in Engineering, Associate Professor Oleksandr Bohdanovych; Leading Specialist Maksym Kovhan; Representative of Technical Committee 38 under the Ministry of Economy Dmytro Gorbachev; Deputy Director General of Igor Sikorsky Kyiv International Airport Oleksandr Hromodetskyi; Chair of the AAUCA Fuel and Lubricants Committee Serhii Bychenko.
Representatives of the fueling complexes at Boryspil Airport, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv International Airport, Danylo Halytskyi Lviv International Airport, Kryvyi Rih Airport, and other industry enterprises also actively participated in the discussion.
During the meeting, a number of pressing issues were addressed, including:
– Resuming air traffic in Ukraine based on the results of an assessment of airport conditions and preparing for their prompt reopening once the security situation stabilizes;
– The current state of civil aviation safety at the global, regional, and national levels;
– regulatory and legal framework for the technological processes of fueling complexes at Ukrainian airports and their harmonization with European standards;
– implementation of the European “Clean Aviation EU” initiative as the basis for decarbonization and modernization of airport infrastructure;
– modern technologies for filtration, quality control, and certification of aviation fuel;
– digitalization of processes, accurate accounting, and automated control of fuel and lubricants;
– development of human capital and professional competencies in the field of aviation fuel supply;
– training of airport fueling complex personnel in accordance with modern European standards.
Based on the results of the presentations, discussions, and deliberations, the participants adopted a resolution that includes proposals for improving regulatory frameworks, modernizing fueling complexes, developing human resources, and implementing modern technological solutions in the field of aviation fuel supply.
The roundtable participants paid particular attention to the issue of cooperation between the industry community, research institutions, airport infrastructure operators, and government authorities in the process of preparing for the resumption of civil aviation operations in Ukraine. Participants agreed that such cooperation is critical to ensuring an adequate level of flight safety, harmonizing the regulatory framework with European requirements, and coordinating efforts to resume operations in the aviation sector. In this context, participants expressed concern over the absence of representatives from the State Aviation Service of Ukraine at the event, despite an official invitation from the organizers. It was particularly surprising that the State Aviation Service had effectively classified aviation fuel supply issues as falling outside its jurisdiction.
Aviation fuel supply is an integral part of the system ensuring flight safety and the functioning of civil aviation, and issues related to aviation fuel quality control, certification of relevant processes, personnel training, and harmonization of regulatory requirements directly impact the level of aviation safety and the industry’s readiness to resume flights.
The roundtable participants expressed their hope for more active involvement of the State Aviation Service of Ukraine in professional dialogue with representatives of the industry and the academic community, as well as for enhanced coordination among all stakeholders regarding the preparation of Ukraine’s aviation sector for the future resumption of civil air traffic.
The “Airports of Ukraine” Civil Aviation Association extends its sincere gratitude to representatives of ACI EUROPE, scholars from the National University “Kyiv Aviation Institute,” and executives and specialists from industry enterprises and organizations for their active participation, professional dialogue, and constructive proposals regarding the development of Ukraine’s aviation industry.
