Kyiv: President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged G7 countries to provide additional gas and weapons to help Ukraine survive a brutal winter that threatens to bring further suffering to millions of people in the war-torn country.
With snow on the ground and Ukraine’s energy grid battered by Russian strikes, many face freezing temperatures without power or heating.
During a videoconference with the G7 club of wealthy nations on Monday, Zelensky said Ukraine needed “about two billion cubic meters” of additional gas to get through the winter.
He also urged the G7 to send more weapons to Ukraine, including “modern tanks” as well as “longer-range artillery rockets and missiles”.
Weapons supplied by the West helped turn the tide of the war, and a senior US military official said on Monday that Russia would likely turn to older, less reliable artillery and rocket munitions as its new stocks were running out.
But Zelensky said “Russia still has the advantage in artillery and missiles.”
“It’s a fact,” he told the G7. “These capabilities of the occupying army are the ones that fuel the Kremlin’s arrogance.”
‘We will survive’
Meanwhile, in the strategic Ukrainian port of Ochakiv, officials hope the Black Sea naval base can be used to shore up kyiv’s gains in the south Kherson Region.
After failing to capture the port, Russian troops beat Ochakiv from the nearby Kinburn Peninsula.
In the foggy local market, 62-year-old Oleg Klyutshko said: “I’m not afraid of winter…but I would like the strikes to stop. We’ll survive everything else.”
kyiv says 40% of Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure has been damaged, with wave after wave of targeted Russian attacks.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said in a statement that Russian missiles hit all thermal power plants in the country, while 44 high-voltage overhead power lines were also hit.
Power company YASNO said supply limitations in Kyiv were “significant”, with around 40% of supplies diverted to critical infrastructure.
Oil and gas company DTEK said its specialists were “constantly looking for equipment to restore the energy infrastructure destroyed by Russia” and had concluded contracts with European suppliers ABB and Siemens.
According to a reading released by his office, Zelensky told the G7 “terror against our power plants has forced us to use more gas than expected.”
“That’s why we need extra support during this particular winter,” he said.
The G7 brings together Britain, Canada, France, Germany – which currently holds the club presidency – Italy, Japan and the United States.
G7 leaders have agreed on key elements of a platform to coordinate financial support for Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, ahead of a summit in Paris on post-war reconstruction. war.
Zelensky also proposed a special summit, which he called the World Peace Formula Summit, “to determine how and when we can implement the points of the Ukrainian peace formula”, which would guarantee security and peace. territorial integrity of Ukraine.
He invited the industrialized nations of the G7 “as well as other conscientious countries” to “show your leadership”.
The Ukrainian leader also urged Russia “to take a concrete and significant step towards a diplomatic settlement”.
Zelensky called on the “occupier” Moscow to leave Ukrainian territory by Christmas.
“He who brought the war on us must take it back.”
An international conference organized by France will begin on Tuesday in Paris.
The gathering of politicians, blue chip businesses and aid agencies will focus on how Ukraine’s Western allies can provide immediate support to keep its civilian infrastructure afloat amid relentless bombardment of Russia.
With snow on the ground and Ukraine’s energy grid battered by Russian strikes, many face freezing temperatures without power or heating.
During a videoconference with the G7 club of wealthy nations on Monday, Zelensky said Ukraine needed “about two billion cubic meters” of additional gas to get through the winter.
He also urged the G7 to send more weapons to Ukraine, including “modern tanks” as well as “longer-range artillery rockets and missiles”.
Weapons supplied by the West helped turn the tide of the war, and a senior US military official said on Monday that Russia would likely turn to older, less reliable artillery and rocket munitions as its new stocks were running out.
But Zelensky said “Russia still has the advantage in artillery and missiles.”
“It’s a fact,” he told the G7. “These capabilities of the occupying army are the ones that fuel the Kremlin’s arrogance.”
‘We will survive’
Meanwhile, in the strategic Ukrainian port of Ochakiv, officials hope the Black Sea naval base can be used to shore up kyiv’s gains in the south Kherson Region.
After failing to capture the port, Russian troops beat Ochakiv from the nearby Kinburn Peninsula.
In the foggy local market, 62-year-old Oleg Klyutshko said: “I’m not afraid of winter…but I would like the strikes to stop. We’ll survive everything else.”
kyiv says 40% of Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure has been damaged, with wave after wave of targeted Russian attacks.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said in a statement that Russian missiles hit all thermal power plants in the country, while 44 high-voltage overhead power lines were also hit.
Power company YASNO said supply limitations in Kyiv were “significant”, with around 40% of supplies diverted to critical infrastructure.
Oil and gas company DTEK said its specialists were “constantly looking for equipment to restore the energy infrastructure destroyed by Russia” and had concluded contracts with European suppliers ABB and Siemens.
According to a reading released by his office, Zelensky told the G7 “terror against our power plants has forced us to use more gas than expected.”
“That’s why we need extra support during this particular winter,” he said.
The G7 brings together Britain, Canada, France, Germany – which currently holds the club presidency – Italy, Japan and the United States.
G7 leaders have agreed on key elements of a platform to coordinate financial support for Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, ahead of a summit in Paris on post-war reconstruction. war.
Zelensky also proposed a special summit, which he called the World Peace Formula Summit, “to determine how and when we can implement the points of the Ukrainian peace formula”, which would guarantee security and peace. territorial integrity of Ukraine.
He invited the industrialized nations of the G7 “as well as other conscientious countries” to “show your leadership”.
The Ukrainian leader also urged Russia “to take a concrete and significant step towards a diplomatic settlement”.
Zelensky called on the “occupier” Moscow to leave Ukrainian territory by Christmas.
“He who brought the war on us must take it back.”
An international conference organized by France will begin on Tuesday in Paris.
The gathering of politicians, blue chip businesses and aid agencies will focus on how Ukraine’s Western allies can provide immediate support to keep its civilian infrastructure afloat amid relentless bombardment of Russia.
