Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Belgium pledges €9 million to restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, aiding UNDP efforts amidst persistent Russian attacks. Minister Gennez emphasizes vital support for Ukrainian civilians amidst ongoing aggression.
Belgium is giving 9 million euros to help restore energy infrastructure in Ukraine, which is frequently the target of Russian attacks, Development Cooperation Minister Caroline Gennez announced on Friday. The money will go to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), an organisation specialising in economic development.
Why is Belgium Directing €9 Million to Ukraine’s Energy Recovery?”
Caroline Gennez, Minister for Development Cooperation, verified on Friday that Belgium will free up €9 million to support restoring energy infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia regularly carries out attacks on Ukrainian power plants and other energy infrastructure – a seizure in March saw 10 major power plants destroyed in a single day. Since the attack on Ukraine more than two years ago, half of all Ukrainian energy infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.
“Hundreds of thousands of people depend on these power stations for heating, cooking and washing,” Gennez stated. “Children’s education, which is provided online close to the front line because of the constant bombing of schools, has also been interrupted as a result.”
She added that making life as difficult as possible for the Ukrainian population behind the front line with the aim to break them psychologically is “a tried and tested tactic by Putin”.
How Will UNDP Utilize Belgium’s €9 Million for Ukraine?
The sum of money, part of the latest package of support measures from Belgium for Ukraine, will go to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a UN organisation specialising in eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable economic growth. In turn, it will utilise the money to restore energy infrastructure around Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine close to the front.
The country’s current energy infrastructure is antiquated and positively centralised, making it vulnerable to attack by Russian missiles. The UN agency is therefore also concentrating on more sustainable and decentralised energy sources, such as solar panels, so the collapse of one installation does not immediately leave hundreds of thousands without power.
Gennez admitted that the Ukrainian army also needs more weapons and anti-aircraft defences to repulse Russian attacks – in recent weeks, Russia has once again stepped up its raids on the Ukrainian population, with at least 126 civilians being killed in March alone – she mentioned it is also crucial to defend the civilian population in Ukraine “so that they have the courage to carry on. This is the only way for Ukraine to stand firm in the face of Russian aggression.”
