President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine put a price tag on how much his country needs to survive the winter, pleading for 800 million euros (over $850 million) to help his country survive Russia’s bombing of its civilian infrastructure.
The call came as Moscow has changed tactics since October, when it began airstrikes on Ukraine’s energy network, trapping millions in cold and darkness as winter approaches.
Zelensky made the request for additional cash donations to assist the country’s energy sector at an international conference in Paris hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron to raise material and money to repair Ukraine’s damaged infrastructure.
“Of course it is a very high amount, but the cost is less than the cost of a potential blackout,” Zelensky told the gathering in the French capital via video link. “I hope that decisions will be made accordingly.”
Ukraine, according to Zelensky, required transformers, equipment to repair damaged high-voltage power lines, generators, and gas turbines. Zelensky urged the G7 nations to provide “about two billion cubic metres” of extra gas to get through the winter, as well as more tanks, missiles, and other lethal weapons to combat the invasion.
The response was immediate. French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna announced after the ‘Conference in Solidarity with the Ukrainian people’ in Paris on December 13 that More than one billion dollars was pledged to support Ukraine.
46 countries and 24 international organizations, contributed. The money will be split between restoring Ukraine’s depleted energy network, the food sector, water supply, health and transportation. $520 million of funding was yet to be allocated.
So long as the West keeps funding Ukraine the proxy war with Putin shows no sign of ending.
