This is a higher amount than expected. The international support conference for Ukraine, organized in Paris this Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, has raised more than a billion euros in donations to help the population to spend the winter in a country with ravaged infrastructure. by Russian attacks.
This is more than the 800 million claimed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the opening of this meeting which was called “Solidarity of the Ukrainian people”. “I am happy to announce that we have exceeded this figure,” French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced on Tuesday alongside Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Chmygal.
Of the billion euros announced on Tuesday, 415 million will be allocated to the energy sector, 25 million for water, 38 million for food, 17 million for health, 22 for transport, the rest, nearly of 493 million euros, not yet being broken down, specified the French minister.
Catherine Colonna insisted that the countries could not “leave the Ukrainians alone”. The Minister of Foreign Affairs insisted on the fact that these donations were dedicated to “concrete” aid such as the delivery of electric generators, while for several weeks the Russian army has specifically targeted energy infrastructure, depriving populations of light and heating.
“Our country will not sink into the dark”
Denys Chmygal reported that 40 to 50% of the Ukrainian energy network had been destroyed by Russian bombardments. But thanks to this aid, “our country will not sink into the dark”, reacted Denys Chmygal, welcoming the “powerful signal” of support for Ukraine from the “civilized world”.
He also said that “France and President Emmanuel Macron have taken the lead on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace preparation points”, reiterated on Monday, while several statements by Emmanuel Macron deemed too complacent with Russia bristled some European leaders.
The Kremlin dismissed the Ukrainian peace plan on Tuesday. He replied that kyiv must cede territories that Russia claims should be annexed before any diplomatic negotiations, as fighting and shelling continue. This is for example the case in Kramatorsk, whose city center and industrial zone were hit on Tuesday, according to the Ukrainian authorities.
“Russia has opted for a cynical strategy”
After the conferences in Lugano, Warsaw and Berlin in recent months, this meeting in Paris, which brought together 70 delegations from countries and international organizations, including several heads of government, was intended to be “practical-practical”, explained at the opening Emmanuel Macron, in the presence of the wife of Volodymyr Zelensky.
“What is very important to us is the high voltage equipment […]because they are among the most popular targets” of the Russians, Ukrainian energy minister German Galushchenko told AFP.
“Russia, whose military weaknesses have come to light, has opted for a cynical strategy”, lamented Emmanuel Macron, repeating that these strikes constituted “war crimes” which would “not go unpunished”. Catherine Colonna has also indicated that among the aid, there would be the sending of a laboratory collecting DNA to accumulate evidence of abuse.
IAEA missions to “secure” five nuclear power plants in Ukraine
These efforts are in addition to the crucial support in military equipment provided by the West, led by the United States. Ukraine continues to clamor for more weapons, having so far pushed back the Russian army.
For the French part, Emmanuel Macron announced for the beginning of 2023 an additional aid of 76.5 million euros to spend the winter. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has indicated that Berlin will pay 50 million euros. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, recalling that the EU had pledged to provide Kyiv with macro-financial assistance of 18 billion euros in 2023, announced the purchase of 30 million LED light bulbs for the benefit of Ukraine, which are much less energy intensive.
In addition, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will send missions to “secure” five nuclear power plants in Ukraine, including that of Zaporizhia, occupied by the Russian army, indicated Denys Chmygal after a meeting in Paris with the world nuclear policeman, Rafael Grossi. This agreement must “obviously involve the Russian side”, said the latter.
During the press conference, he noted that France was “very active” on securing the plants. For example, “France will provide with the IAEA spare parts […] for the emergency generators of the Ukraine South power plant”, illustrated Catherine Colonna.
Three agreements with Ukraine for the supply of rails, bridges and seeds
After the morning meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the afternoon meeting took place at the Ministry of the Economy with the aim of mobilizing this time French companies for reconstruction. More than 700 companies participated in the event.
At the end of this meeting, France announced three agreements with Ukraine for the supply of rails, bridges, and seeds, separate aid from the donations announced earlier in the day to help Ukraine pass the ‘winter. These goods provided by French or German companies will be financed by payment facilities found by Paris, according to the Ministry of the Economy.
In detail, Paris will allow Ukraine to have 20,000 tonnes of rail produced in France by the German company Saarstahl, anticipating the repair of more than 150 km of Ukrainian railways. This operation will be made possible by “financing on a concessional loan from the Treasury of 37.6 million euros”, said the Ministry of the Economy in a press release.
A second agreement between the two countries will involve the supply of around 25 bridge kits by the French company Matière to the Ukrainian government road agency UkrAvtodor. “France will offer funding,” the ministry said without providing further details. The third contract intends to deliver more than 20 million euros of seeds by three French exporting companies, MAS Seeds, Lideas Seeds, and RAGT. For this project, “the State grants its cover to the risk”, indicated France. These three projects aim to “not leave an inch of ground for destruction,” said French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire.