The Verkhovna Rada has cancelled daylight saving time: what does this mean for Ukrainians?

Today, on July 16, the Verkhovna Rada voted to cancel daylight saving time, with 261 MPs supporting the bill. This announcement came from MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak on his Telegram channel. The document now awaits President Zelenskyy’s signature. 

“This year, on the last Sunday (October 27), we’ll switch the clocks to winter time, and from 2025 onward, there will be no more daylight saving time,” Zhelezniak wrote. 

The decision has sparked a lively debate on social media, with social media users divided into several camps, raising a ruckus in the comments section. Some approve, claiming this aligns with Ukraine’s true geographical time, while others express concerns about the proximity to the so-called Russia and potential inconveniences, noting that in summer, it will dawn around 3 a.m. and get dark around 8 p.m.

Let’s try to weigh the pros and cons of this decision.  

Yes, Ukraine is indeed in the GMT+2 time zone, also known as Eastern European Time (EET). This is our standard time, commonly referred to as “winter time.” In previous years, we switched from standard time to summer GMT+3, and then back to GMT+2.

Does this move bring us closer to Russia? 

No, it doesn’t. The so-called Russia (i.e. Western Russia (Moscow Standard Time)) is in the GMT+3 time zone. So, after the law takes effect, Kyiv will remain in GMT+2, while Moscow will be in GMT+3.

Are we moving away from the European Union? 

Not significantly. The EU operates on Central European Time (GMT+1) and switches to GMT+2 in the summer, meaning our clocks will still coincide for half the year. 

Although Ukraine may no longer observe daylight saving time, the EU still does. In fact, in 2021, the European Parliament supported abolishing annual daylight saving time, but the decision was never implemented due to a lack of agreement among member states. 

What about the practicalities? 

For residents of eastern Ukraine, the early sunrise at around 3 a.m. might be unwelcome. If this law had been passed last year, today in Kramatorsk, dawn would begin at 3:45 a.m., compared to 4:36 a.m. in Warsaw, despite both being in GMT+2. Sunset in Kramatorsk would also come earlier — at 7:27 p.m. instead of 8:27 p.m. — so it’s quite likely that an earlier onset of darkness would potentially increase electricity consumption by the population.

And what about health impacts? 

Biologist Olha Maslova noted on Facebook that “the very procedure of ‘changing the clock’s hands’ every six months has long been recognized by chronobiologists (specialists in biological rhythm) and sleep researchers as unhelpful and even harmful to some people [3].” 

In truth, many experts and medical organizations, including the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), recommend using standard time all year round. The AASM has called for abolishing daylight saving time, citing its negative impact on public health. Their website notes increases in road accidents, hospitalizations, and disruptions to circadian rhythms and sleep in the days, with people complaining of discomfort and poor mental health following the switch to daylight saving time.

Assessing the decision to cancel daylight saving time is complex. As we can see, there are both advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, only time will reveal whether this decision was correct and timely

Prepared by Dmytro Filipchuk.