At a conference hosted by France, EU members and other states promised Ukraine urgently needed aid for the civilian population. Russia’s energy attacks were unanimously condemned.
Because of the Russian attacks on the energy supply, Ukrainians are increasingly left in the dark – here in Kiev on November 23.
The priority of international solidarity with Ukraine is to help the bravely defending population to get through the winter. To this end, French President Emmanuel Macron convened another donor conference in Paris on Tuesday. Even without the urgent appeal of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who addressed the conference via video link in the morning, the representatives of around 70 states and organizations present knew how dramatic the situation is.
Macron said Russia wanted to terrorize the population with “cowardly attacks” on the power supply and described the wanton destruction of infrastructure as a war crime that should not go unpunished. But the world will not “leave Ukraine in the dark and cold,” said the French president, who made a clear effort not to raise any doubts about his siding with Ukraine as a victim of Russian aggression.
In Eastern Europe in particular, there are accusations that France is not tough on Russia. After the war began, Macron called on Vladimir Putin several times to open a dialogue with Zelensky. He caused trouble not only in Ukraine when he said that Putin should be offered a way out without humiliating him. Little understanding in Kyiv also found recently his reflections on security guarantees for Russia in the event of a peace agreement.
Kiev wants turbines, generators and cables
At the Paris conference, Zelensky had a very specific wish list for the participants. In addition to gas and electricity supplies, spare parts and various materials are needed to repair the facilities damaged by rocket and drone attacks. For example turbines, transformers and power generators as well as cables for the interrupted power grid. For him, however, humanitarian aid and support with armaments are directly linked.
In order to prevent future attacks on the infrastructure and thus on the morale of the population, Selenski would like to see modern anti-aircraft systems from the partners in the West. However, the delivery of armaments was not the subject of the conference, which is intended to increase and better coordinate immediate winter aid for the population. On behalf of the EU, Ursula von der Leyen stressed the importance of coordinating solidarity efforts.
The President of the Commission announced that, at the request of the G-7 countries, a new platform for the coordination of aid and another hub for aid deliveries would be created in Poland. The EU has already given €19 billion in economic and social support, and plans to continue with €1.5 billion a month. In addition, Ukraine is to receive 800 power generators and 30 million LED lamps, which can save 1 gigawatt as a replacement for traditional light bulbs.
Happy about warmth, light and security
Germany promised Ukraine additional winter aid of 50 million euros. “Money alone does not protect against freezing and dying of thirst, and that is why very specific technical assistance is so important,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Germany will therefore also participate with donations in kind in the areas of energy and water supply and transport. Deutsche Bahn, for example, intends to sell locomotives to the Ukraine as soon as they have been converted to the Ukrainian gauge.
Baerbock also made a critical side note on the previous attitude of the host: Regarding Macron’s formulation that there must be “security guarantees for Russia” for negotiations, the Green politician said: “As an international community, we have made it very clear that this Russia under Putin there can be no common security in the foreseeable future.”
Ignazio Cassis also promised Kiev further help. “We are happy to be here in a safe, lighted and warm place, which is not the case 2400 kilometers away,” said the Swiss President and Foreign Minister. Switzerland is helping Ukraine with 100 million francs to survive the winter. As at the conferences in Warsaw, Berlin and Lugano, Switzerland stands by its humanitarian commitment in Paris.
Thanks to its expertise in the areas of energy, water, health, transport and food, which were the main subjects of the conference, Switzerland will play an active role in coordinating international aid, Cassis assured. In the end, aid commitments totaling almost 1 billion euros were collected at the conference. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Schmyhal spoke of “a strong signal from the civilized world”.
Support for reconstruction will be no less important than the emergency aid in winter, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. A separate bilateral Franco-Ukrainian conference at the Ministry of Economy was devoted to this topic in the afternoon, to which Macron invited 500 companies to invest in the reconstruction of Ukraine.