President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday put a price on how much is needed for Ukraine to survive the winter, pleading some 800 million euros (U.S.$840+ million) is necessary to help his country survive Russia’s bombing of its civilian infrastructure.
The call comes as Moscow has switched tactics since October when it began airstrikes targeting Ukraine’s energy network, plunging millions into cold and darkness at the onset of winter.
As AFP reports, Zelensky made the request for more cash donations to help the country’s energy sector at an international conference in Paris, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, designed 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.”
Zelensky said Ukraine needed transformers, equipment to repair damaged high-voltage power lines, as well as generators and gas turbines.
“Because of the destruction of our power plants by terror attacks we will need to use more gas this winter than expected,” added Zelensky, the AFP report sets out.
Zelensky also urged G7 nations on Monday to provide “about two billion cubic metres” of additional gas to get through the winter as well as more tanks, missiles, and assorted lethal weapons to fight the invasion.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal added his call for help from the 70 states and international agencies gathered in Paris for the “Standing with the Ukrainian People” conference.
(L to R) German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, French President Emmanuel Macron, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen listen Tuesday as Ukraine pleaded for money in the face of sustained Russian aerial bombardments. (Teresa Suarez, Pool via AP)
“They (Russians) want to put us into darkness and it will fail, thanks to our partners all over the world,” he added.
The appeal for funding comes on top of past donations of lethal military equipment given to the country, with the U.S. in the lead as chief donor.
As Breitbart News reported just last month, the Biden administration is sending Ukraine another $400 million in lethal military aid before year’s end, topping up more than $19.7 billion in weapons and other equipment already drawn from DoD stocks since the conflict began on Feb. 24.
The additional tranche of arms, munitions, air defense missiles and vehicles will be taken from existing inventories as Ukraine works to defeat Russian efforts to damage critical infrastructure for major cities ahead of the onset of winter.
Critics of Washington’s open-ended supply of material have already queried how long it can maintain the supply of arms, with current U.S. spending more than all military-related spending by the United Kingdom and almost twice as much as France spends each year.
Now those lethal military donations have been added to with a straight-up appeal by Zelensky for cash to ensure Ukraine’s energy reserves are not depleted before winter is over.
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