NATO, EU to step up non-lethal aid to Ukraine over winter woes

As Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s power, heating, and water supplies risk leaving a majority of the country vulnerable during winter, Europeans have started looking into how to provide Kyiv with more emergency equipment.

Ukraine is experiencing “waves of deliberate missile attacks on cities and civilian infrastructure, depriving Ukrainians of heat, light, and food”, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Friday (25 November), calling it a “horrific start to the winter for Ukraine”.

In recent weeks, Russia’s focus in Ukraine has shifted from territorial gains towards large-scale bombing campaigns targeting Kyiv and other cities across the country.

While winters in Ukraine tend to be very cold, with temperatures plunging well below 0°C, the coming season is expected to be especially challenging as Russia appears set to continue its attack on the country’s power, water and heating infrastructure.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Stoltenberg confirmed “NATO has been delivering fuel, medical supplies, winter equipment”, thanking members for the contributions provided.

The NATO chief also added he would call for more non-lethal aid to secure power generators, winter clothing and other needed non-lethal equipment when alliance foreign ministers meet in Bucharest next week.

Stoltenberg also said NATO members would discuss sending more equipment to enable Ukraine to counter drone operations, in response to Russia’s increasing use of Iran-made unmanned kamikaze weapons used to hit civilian targets.

“Over the longer term we will help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment to modern NATO standards, doctrine and training,” he added in regard to military assistance provided by the alliance.

Next week’s NATO meeting will take place ahead of a donor conference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on 13 December focused on humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and efforts by the EU to transport power grid equipment to the country.

Last week, the European Commission announced it will provide temporary cold-weather shelter, generators, and electricity grid-repair kits to Ukraine to help it tide over the winter ahead.

EU member states have also been asked to prepare for additional refugee inflows from Ukraine during the winter if there is a surge in attacks, the bloc’s Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič said last week.

“We are encouraging member states to put enough resources in place to face this kind of increased needs”, Lenarčič said.

The World Health Organisation has warned the attacks on infrastructure could have “life-threatening” consequences and estimated that millions could leave their homes as a result.

This comes as Russian officials have begun openly admitting to targeting Ukraine’s civilian utilities.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed this week they were linked to Ukraine’s military command and control system and the aim was to disrupt the flows of Ukrainian troops, weapons, and ammunition to the front lines.

“Taken as a whole, this raises serious problems under international humanitarian law, which requires a concrete and direct military advantage for each object attacked,” UN human rights chief Volker Turk said, adding that the Russian strikes on critical infrastructure were problematic.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had said earlier this month that the country should have sufficient gas supplies for this winter if expected deliveries from abroad are taken into account.

[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]

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