The European Commission and the European Investment Bank have provided an additional €50 million in financing to Ukraine’s state-owned energy company Naftogaz to support the country’s energy system during winter amid constant Russian strikes.
The money is intended to help maintain heating and energy supplies for households, critical services and businesses amid ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and falling temperatures, the Commission announced in a statement on Thursday.
“The news coming from Ukraine every morning is horrific. What Russia is doing is state terror. This is beyond war. People are freezing to death. Many are fleeing Kyiv and other cities,” Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said.
She said the EU had worked with Ukraine to stabilise the energy system, but “the scale of Russian attacks is such that Ukraine urgently needs more”, adding: “This €50 million emergency loans is one of many additional measures.”
Total support for winter gas purchases
The €50 million loan is being provided through the Ukraine Facility, an EU funding programme for Ukraine, and brings the EU’s total support for emergency gas purchases for winter 2025–2026 to €977 million, according to the Commission.
Naftogaz has pledged to reinvest an amount equivalent to the financing into renewable energy and decarbonisation projects — measures intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
