European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU will provide Ukraine with an additional €160 million in aid to support its energy infrastructure this winter. Of this, €100 million will be sourced from frozen Russian assets, as part of ongoing sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
During a press conference with International Energy Agency (IEA) President Fatih Birol, von der Leyen highlighted the damage to Ukraine’s energy system caused by Russian attacks, noting that half of the country’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed. She emphasized the urgency of restoring Ukraine’s energy capacity, especially with winter approaching, to keep the economy running and citizens warm.
The aid package includes €60 million for humanitarian assistance, such as repairs to shelters and the provision of heaters, and €100 million for renewable energy projects. Von der Leyen stressed that it is only right for Russia to pay for the destruction it caused, as the EU continues to allocate funds from frozen Russian assets.
IEA President Fatih Birol warned that this winter will be Ukraine’s toughest test yet, as its energy system faces unprecedented challenges. The EU has already frozen €210 billion in Russian assets, with €1.5 billion of these funds transferred to Ukraine earlier this year.