The President of the European Commission arrived in Kyiv after her visit to Poland to discuss support for Ukraine in light of the challenging winter ahead due to the destruction of energy infrastructure by Russia.
The European Commission has made the decision to grant a loan of 35 billion euros to Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen explained that these are commitments under the G7 framework and reminded that the EU has so far supported Ukraine with 118 billion euros.
"We can transfer this loan to Ukraine very quickly," emphasized the President of the European Commission, adding that the loan will be secured by frozen Russian assets and will provide Ukraine with macroeconomic stability.
Ursula von der Leyen also highlighted that the EU would provide Ukraine with €160 million for the heating season, with €100 million coming from frozen Russian assets and €60 million as humanitarian aid.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the EU has allocated €2 billion to ensure Ukraine's energy security. The situation worsened following Russia's attack on the Ukrainian energy system in August 2023, which destroyed half of the country's energy production capacity.
This is Ursula von der Leyen's eighth visit to Kyiv.
The President of the European Commission paid tribute to the fallen defenders of Ukraine over the past 10 years.
“They are real heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for the security of our continent as a whole. We will carry their memories in our hearts and minds,” Ursula von der Leyen stated via social media.
Ursula von der Leyen praised the bravery of firefighters who quickly respond to put out fires and save lives after Russian attacks. She assured them they will receive support in the form of power generators and emergency equipment.
Ukrainians shot down 61 out of 70 Russian drones last night
In last night’s attack, 61 out of 70 Shahed drones launched by Russia were shot down by Ukrainians. Despite the successful interception of most drones, one flew near the nuclear power plant in Chmelnytskyi, leading authorities to consider it an act of nuclear blackmail.
The Russians regularly launch long-range drones and missiles at Ukraine, often targeting its energy infrastructure, which leads to power shortages that are expected to worsen during the winter months.
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Source: IAR/PAP/X/@vonderleyen
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