Countries and international organizations throw their weight and hundreds of millions of dollars behind a fresh and urgent push to keep Ukraine powered, fed, warm and moving this winter.
Ukraine’s president made an impassioned argument that such aid could pressure Russia into pursuing peace, and conference donors strongly condemned the Kremlin’s savaging of power stations, water facilities and other essential services in Ukraine.
As temperatures plunge and snow falls, Ukraine’s needs are huge and pressing. Russia has repeatedly targeted the Ukrainian power grid and other critical infrastructure since early October. Successive waves of cruise missiles and exploding drones have destroyed about half of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the Kyiv government has said.
Zelenskyy argued that a concerted international effort to keep Ukraine’s utility systems working could help dissuade Moscow from further attacks and potentially force it to the negotiating table, and also prevent new waves of Ukrainians fleeing to elsewhere in Europe. Donors came to the conference armed with an array of help, from lightbulbs, generators and power transformers to assistance with food, water, health, transport and rebuilding.
Von der Leyen said the Russian missile and drone bombardments were intended to sap Ukrainian morale but added: “Russia will fail because the Ukrainian spirit remains unyielding and unbroken.”
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