European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that €160 million from frozen Russian assets will be allocated to address Ukraine’s urgent humanitarian needs this winter, Reuters reports.
This financial support is part of a broader effort to aid Ukraine’s energy sector, which has been severely impacted by Russia, which has damaged about 9 gigawatts (GW) of the country’s energy infrastructure, equivalent to the total power consumption of the three Baltic states. The International Energy Agency warns that Ukraine could face a 6 GW electricity shortfall this winter.
In addition to the funds, the EU is assisting with energy repairs and exports. A fuel power plant from Lithuania will be dismantled and rebuilt in Ukraine, which has seen 80% of its thermal plants and a third of its hydropower capacity destroyed. The EU aims to restore 2.5 GW of Ukraine’s energy capacity, addressing 15% of the country’s needs, and will increase electricity exports to supply an additional 2 GW.
