EU provides additional 500 generators, EUR 50M for Ukraine's energy support

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said this at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, Ukrinform reports.

"Russia is not making an even token effort towards peace. Its strike on a passenger train was a war crime, like it was a war crime also to attack civilian infrastructure, like energy infrastructure, hospitals, schools, apartment buildings," she said.

According to Kallas, the Kremlin tries to weaponize winter.

"Now, energy is the new front line. The EU is responding with the biggest ever winter aid package, this covers emergency equipment, funding and energy deliveries. Just today, we provided an extra 500 generators and EUR 50 million for energy support. Overall, our energy fund has surpassed EUR 1.6 billion. But this is not enough, as the images from Ukraine show us every day. This is why we are also proposing a task force with the teams in Brussels and Kyiv to better coordinate energy support," he said.

She also noted that EU member states must also dig deeper into their air defense stocks for transfer to Ukraine.

In addition, planning also continues on the EU's contributions to the security guarantees – from expanding training to Ukrainian territory to accession and defense industry support.

Kallas stressed that accountability for Russian crimes remains a key element, recalling that the EU recently allocated the first EUR 10 million to help set up a special tribunal for the crime of aggression.

She added that earlier today, together with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, ministers also discussed the issue of accountability, which is "essential for any peace."

Photo: European Union