President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the creation of a coalition of countries that want to help Ukraine's energy sector, with their first meeting to be in video format and to be held in the coming days, Ukrainform reported, BTA reported.
He announced the news during a meeting in Kiev with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands David van Vell.
"Recently, after numerous massive attacks on Ukraine, on our energy system, logistics, water supply and gas supply, a decision was made to organize a coalition in support of the energy sector and the energy security of Ukrainians," Zelensky said.
He specified that the first meeting of the coalition will be held soon in video format.
"I think we will soon organize a video meeting of our currently small team, but I am confident that we will be able to join forces with other countries. We will need support," Zelensky added.
According to him, the coalition's task will be to strengthen the country's energy sector and provide additional financing for it.
"If we have to import electricity after the relevant strikes, it will not be free. Thank God, we are connected to the European energy grid and have such an opportunity, but financing for electricity imports may be necessary," the president said.
Zelensky also thanked the Netherlands for the energy assistance package worth 25 million euros announced today.
As announced earlier after his visit to Norway, Zelensky announced that Ukraine will receive about $150 million for gas purchases in the winter - the third such energy support package from Oslo this year.
Zelensky also told journalists that he was negotiating with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the purchase of additional equipment for electricity generation.
Against this background, German Minister of Economics and Energy Katerina Reiche announced that Germany's total contribution to the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine will reach 450 million euros, Ukrainform adds.