EU Commissioner Lahbib arrives in Kyiv to discuss EU support
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib arrived in Kyiv today to reaffirm that Ukraine’s resilience remains a European priority.
According to Ukrinform, the European Commission's press service stated this on its website.
"When a family cannot heat their home or a hospital loses power, this is not collateral damage, it is a direct attack on civilians. Russia is trying to freeze a nation into submission. It will fail. Ukraine has shown remarkable resilience. Europe will continue to stand with you to keep the lights on and hope alive," Lahbib said.
During her visit, the Commissioner will meet with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, as well as representatives of the Office of the President, the Ministry of Energy, and the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.
"Discussions will focus on strengthening humanitarian assistance and reinforcing the resilience of critical infrastructure in the country," the press service stated.
Lahbib will visit key energy facilities that supply electricity to more than 500,000 Ukrainians and have been severely damaged by Russian strikes.
She will also visit EU-supported healthcare and social care institutions. The Commissioner is scheduled to meet with medical and social workers, as well as aid recipients, to discuss current needs and the EU’s continued support for medical services and emergency response.
Her program also includes visits to EU-supported centers in Kyiv that provide essential services such as heating, medical care, and hot meals to families affected by the energy crisis.
As reported, the total support provided by the EU and its member states currently amounts to EUR 193.7 billion.
The EU has also delivered more than 157,000 tonnes of assistance, including over 11,200 generators, more than 7,200 transformers, six autotransformers, a full-scale thermal power plant, thousands of electrical components, and millions of energy-efficient LED bulbs.
In January alone, the EU deployed nearly 1,000 generators from its strategic emergency reserve in response to Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.