Ukraine To End Daylight Savings Time Switch

In a significant legislative move, the Ukrainian Parliament has voted to end the annual transition to Daylight Saving Time (DST). Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a member of parliament from the Holos party, announced this decision via Telegram on July 16, marking a pivotal shift in how time is managed across the nation.

Starting from October 2024, Ukraine will set its clocks to standard time for the last time, with no further adjustments for DST thereafter. This decision will standardize the country’s time to UTC+2, known as Kyiv time, beginning in 2025. This shift aims to simplify timekeeping and align with the second time zone in the Universal Coordinated Time scale.

The push to abolish DST was supported by the parliamentary Economic Development committee on July 12, after initial backing in its first reading back in March 2021. The decision stems from studies and observations that suggest the transition between standard time and DST disrupts human biological rhythms without delivering significant energy savings.

Also, the Parliament’s press service indicated that establishing a consistent Kyiv time across Ukraine could enhance national security. This move reflects a growing trend observed in various regions worldwide, where the practicality and health impacts of DST are increasingly being questioned.

As Ukraine prepares for this change, it joins a list of countries opting to maintain a single, constant time throughout the year, prioritizing the well-being of its citizens and the efficiency of its national operations.