European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Ukraine with a primary focus on assisting the country in repairing and reconnecting its electricity grid, which has been severely damaged by war with Russia. Nearly half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed, leading to frequent blackouts in eastern regions. Von der Leyen compared the situation to the entirety of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia losing electricity.
With winter approaching and the heating season starting in just two weeks, von der Leyen stressed the urgency of the situation. Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure aim to cause maximum damage. The main goal of the assistance is to decentralize Ukraine’s power grid, reducing its vulnerability to attacks from Russian forces. The European Union has already provided over 10,000 generators and transformers, as well as more mobile gas turbines that are harder to target and easier to repair.
The EU aims to supply around 25% of the 17 gigawatts of power needed by Ukraine during the winter months. Another objective of the assistance is to encourage people to remain in Ukraine, as millions have fled since the war began. The EU offers short-term support such as accommodation, employment, and education to those in need. However, the number of people leaving continues to rise.
To further support Ukraine, the European Commission announced an additional 160 million euros ($180 million) to fortify Ukraine’s energy network, with 100 million euros ($112 million) coming from profits earned from frozen Russian assets. Von der Leyen plans to hold discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on obtaining loans from the Group of Seven to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and assess progress in Ukraine’s bid to join the EU.
