EU aims to cover 25% of Ukraine’s winter energy needs, von der Leyen says ahead of Kiev visit

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on September 19 that she will visit Kyiv on September 20 to discuss Ukraine’s energy needs with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Speaking at a news conference in Brussels alongside International Energy Agency director Fatih Birol, von der Leyen said Russia was “trying to plunge the country into darkness” by destroying 80% of Ukraine’s thermal power plants and a third of its hydroelectric capacity.

Zelensky said in his evening speech on September 19 that he expected “important talks” with von der Leyen in Kyiv on the energy situation.

Moscow has carried out numerous airstrikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during the ongoing war, with the largest of them being carried out on August 26 and using more than 230 missiles and drones.

“As friends and partners of Ukraine, we must do everything in our power to ensure continuity of electricity supply,” von der Leyen said.

The head of the EU’s executive agency noted that Ukraine needs 17 gigawatts of power this winter and listed three main directions of EU energy aid for the war-torn country.

As von der Leyen said, these measures should cover energy demand of around 4.5 gigawatts, which is around 25% of Ukraine’s winter demand.

As a first step, the EU will help Ukraine repair its energy infrastructure, with the aim of restoring 2.5 gigawatts of capacity.

“At the moment, Lithuania is dismantling the entire thermal power plant, which is being shipped piece by piece to Ukraine, with our support,” the EU official said.

The EU will also continue to export electricity to Ukraine and improve energy connectivity. The unit will thus provide 2 gigawatts of electricity, which is equivalent to the loss of power from the occupied Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to von der Leyen.

Third, the EU will support decentralised and renewable production to stabilise the flow of electricity in the country.

The European Union will support Ukraine with 160 million euros ($178 million) before winter to boost the country’s resilience to Russian attacks, von der Leyen announced this morning.

Some €60 million ($67 million) of EU aid will go towards humanitarian aid, such as shelters and heating facilities. €100 million ($111 million) will go towards repairing energy infrastructure and developing renewable energy.

Speaking alongside von der Leyen, IEA chief Birol outlined a 10-step action plan to help the country cope with a winter that he said could be “the harshest yet”.