International Energy Group Burisma is the headliner of Ukrainian Energy Forum, Ukraine's largest annual discussion platform organized by Adam Smith Conferences. Since 1992, Adam Smith Conferences have been organizing highly professional economic forums that bring together thousands of state and business leaders. The topic of the VIII Ukrainian Energy Forum is "Raising domestic output, diversity and security of supply through reform, transparency and modernisation". Key Forum speakers include the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Kistion, the Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine Ostap Semerak, the acting Head of the Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Security of the Verkhovna Rada Alexander Dombrovskyi, Advisor to the Board of Directors and Director for International Cooperation and Strategic Development of Burisma Group Vadym Pozharskyi, the Director of the Energy Community Secretariat Janez Kopač and others. "It is symbolic that the International Energy Group Burisma started discussions on energy efficiency and supported the new state policy to reform national energy market and Ukraine's European integration. Burisma Group has always encouraged government and market players to reform Ukrainian gas market based on European practices. Such events determine country's strategic objectives to market players, infrastructure investors and Ukraine's international partners who are willing to see our country as a reliable partner. Burisma is committed to ensuring energy security," noted Vadym Pozharskyi. In addition, Burisma Group announced its 2017 corporate "billion" program according to which the Group is going to reach over 1 bcm of gas production levels, increase investments in development of gas fields, drill and bring into operation new wells worth more than UAH 3 billion and pay UAH 2 billion of taxes to the budgets of all levels. At the same time, over the last two years alone, Burisma Group paid around UAH 6 billion to the State budget of Ukraine. Thanks to the investment program, the Group is going to drill 20 new wells where every 3 out of 4 would be more than 5000 m deep and have complex profiles. According to the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Kistion, today it is of a major importance for Ukraine to be an energy independent country. The Forum participants also focused on diversification of energy sources. Janez Kopač called for the further improvement of legal framework regulating Ukrainian energy market. In his speech, Vadym Pozharskyi shared success stories of cooperation between government and businesses in other countries on implementation of energy independence strategy. "The energy sector remains key source of revenues for the Ukrainian budget. Gas companies not only provide the country with domestic gas, but also continue to invest billions in production and introduce state-of-the-art exploration and drilling technologies. We are going to stay committed to this strategy," noted Vadym Pozharskyi.