EU announces €153 million in Ukraine aid amid energy equipment delivery

The European Commission has announced €153 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and neighbouring Moldova, as millions of Ukrainians face freezing winter temperatures following sustained Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.

According to a Commission press release, €145 million will be allocated to humanitarian aid inside Ukraine, providing protection services, shelter, food, cash assistance, psychosocial support, and access to water and healthcare. An additional €8 million will support Moldova, which continues to host large numbers of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war, Caliber.Az reports. 

Alongside financial aid, the European Union has reinforced its emergency energy assistance. This week, 447 power generators worth €3.7 million were delivered to Ukraine to help restore electricity to hospitals, shelters and other critical services. A further 500 generators from the EU’s rescEU strategic reserves are currently being deployed. Since the start of Russia’s invasion, total EU support to Ukraine has reached €193.3 billion.

In parallel, Italy has begun delivering the first shipment of energy equipment pledged by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in October 2025, aimed at mitigating Ukraine’s energy crisis caused by deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure, Ukrainian media reports. 

The delivery follows a commitment Meloni made to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting on the sidelines of the European Council in October. On January 28, Italy delivered the first batch of 78 industrial boilers, with an additional 300 units expected to arrive in the coming weeks. The boilers will provide a combined heat output of around 900 megawatts and are intended for damaged municipal heating networks, hospitals and essential public services.

Italian authorities said the initiative will supply sufficient heating capacity for approximately 90,000 homes, equivalent to a city of about 250,000 residents.

Italy has also launched a programme to send medium and large-scale electric generators to Ukraine. These generators are expected to support hospitals, water supply systems and other critical infrastructure in the event of power outages.

“These government initiatives complement commendable private initiatives currently underway to send generators to Ukraine,” Italian officials said.

Germany has also increased its emergency energy assistance to Ukraine. Berlin recently transferred two cogeneration plants to Kyiv, which will provide both heat and electricity to approximately 86,000 residents of the capital. The delivery forms part of Germany’s emergency energy aid package, which has been expanded to €120 million.

As part of this programme, Germany plans to deliver an additional 41 cogeneration plants, 76 modular boiler rooms and other energy equipment in the near future. German officials said decentralised energy supply plays a key role in sustainability and resilience, adding that the transferred plants represent only one element of Germany’s broader commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s long-term energy security.

By Sabina Mammadli