EU assesses support for Ukraine as new refugee exodus beckons

EU leaders are gathering to assess their support for Ukraine after Russian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was trying to trigger an exodus of refugees by destroying the war-torn country’s energy infrastructure.

Nearly eight months into the war, Russia has increasingly targeted Ukraine’s power stations, water plants and other critical infrastructure with missile and drone strikes.

At the same time, the EU is grappling with the consequences of having to urgently end its reliance on Russian gas and oil as the war fuels price increases and market anxiety.

“The attack by Russian cruise missiles and Iranian combat drones destroyed more than a third of our energy infrastructure,” Zelensky said in a video link to European leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

“So, unfortunately, we are no longer able to export electricity to help you maintain stability.”

“Russia has also triggered a new wave of Ukrainian migration to EU countries by attacking electricity and heat sources,” he added, “so that as many Ukrainians as possible can migrate to your country.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called Russia’s attack on civilian infrastructure a “war crime” and a “pure act of terror”.

Over 4.3 million Ukrainian citizens have been registered in the EU for temporary protection. Nearly a third of them are held only in Poland.

In a draft of the EU summit statement, the leaders affirmed that they “will stand with Ukraine with continued political, military and economic support”.

They also said the 27-nation bloc would “strengthen its humanitarian response, especially winter preparations”.

The draft text, seen by The Associated Press, is expected to pass late Friday, but its precise wording could still change.

The EU is deeply divided over how to deal with unauthorized migrant arrivals – an issue at the heart of one of the biggest political crises in the bloc’s history – but many countries, particularly in central and eastern Europe, have shelved opposition to large-scale Welcome war refugees from Ukraine.