Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) European Commission officials visited Kiev and pledged to continue providing support to Ukraine.
The Commission noted in a statement on Thursday that EC President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the EU remains committed to helping Ukraine defend from Russia and rebuilding the country.
“It has been almost one year since [Russian President Vladimir] Putin launched his brutal invasion… one year of suffering but also of legendary bravery by the Ukrainian people,” she pointed out and added “and one year of impressive unity by the global community.”
Von der Leyen reminded that the EU has been standing with Ukraine since the start of the war and stated “what is at stake is freedom… this is a fight of democracies against authoritarian regimes.”
According to her, “Putin tries to deny the existence of Ukraine, but what he risks instead is the future of Russia.” Von der Leyen stressed that “the whole of the European Union is in this with Ukraine, for the long haul.”
She reminded that the EC promised last year to continue providing Ukraine with financial support and stressed that the bloc kept that promise.
Volume of support
“Overall, the European Union’s economic, humanitarian and military support for Ukraine amounts now, since the beginning of the war, to almost 50 billion euro,” von der Leyen noted and added “it is important for us to give economic security to our friends in Ukraine.”
She pointed out that the EU is providing Ukraine with 35 million LED light bulbs and equipment to keep the country’s energy grid running despite attacks on infrastructure.
Von der Leyen reminded that the EU provided Ukraine with 3,000 generators thus far and is providing additional 2,400.
The bloc will provide Ukraine with more than 150 million euro for purchase of energy equipment, she announced, and is inviting the country to join EU’s platform for joint gas purchases.
In the long term, the EU is helping Ukraine to develop its green sector, with von der Leyen pointing out that renewables will bring green energy as well as strengthen Ukraine’s energy security.
She concluded that EU sanctions are hurting Russia’s economy and stressed that the bloc’s price cap on oil costs Russia approximately 160 million euro per day.
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