Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the European Union will activate a special emergency mechanism to provide rapid funding for the country’s most urgent needs as Russian strikes continue to disrupt electricity, water and heating supplies.
Zelenskyy made the announcement after a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He said the situation was particularly difficult in Kyiv, Dnipro, Sumy and the Donetsk regions, as well as Kherson.
The mechanism is intended to speed up funding for immediate needs, and teams are already working on it, Zelenskyy said. His statement did not specify the amount of money involved, how the mechanism would operate or when support would begin.
The two leaders also discussed additional energy and humanitarian assistance ahead of winter, Ukraine’s EU integration and diplomatic efforts. Zelenskyy said recent talks in Brussels had made progress on a recovery plan and European security guarantees, and that positions had been coordinated ahead of a planned trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi.
