The European Commission is announcing €153 million in emergency aid to Ukraine and refugee-hosting Moldova, as millions Ukrainians face freezing temperatures without power under sustained Russian bombardment of energy infrastructure.
Responding to the urgent needs, the EU is allocating an initial €145 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine to provide protection assistance, shelter, food, cash assistance, psychosocial support, and access to water and health services. Another €8 million in Moldova will support hosting Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war.
After more than a decade of hostilities and almost four years of full-scale war, the people of Ukraine continue to endure immense suffering. Daily civilian casualties, widespread infrastructure destruction, and mass displacement are further exacerbating the massive humanitarian needs. With Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, millions in the country are exposed to freezing temperatures.
Alongside this humanitarian aid allocation, the EU has reinforced emergency energy assistance. This week, 447 power generators, worth €3.7 million, have been delivered to restore electricity to hospitals, shelters and other critical services. A further 500 generators are now being deployed, all from rescEU strategic reserves, to help keep essential services running.
Background
The EU has been providing humanitarian aid in Ukraine since the conflict erupted in 2014 and is actively operating across the country, prioritising hard-to-reach areas near the frontlines in the eastern and southern regions. Following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the EU substantially ramped up its relief efforts in Ukraine. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the Commission has allocated over €1.4 billion for humanitarian aid programmes in Ukraine and Moldova.
The humanitarian assistance funded by the EU is delivered in partnership with UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs. The 2025-2026 winterisation campaign marked the largest volume of energy assistance ever delivered under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). In particular, the dismantling and delivery of the entire Vilnius Thermal Power Plant , finalised in October 2025, is the largest energy-related donation ever coordinated through the Mechanism.
Since 2022, the UCPM has coordinated the delivery of millions of energy-related items to Ukraine, including 10 339 power generators, 7 201 transformers, 6 autotransformers, thousands of electrical components, and millions of energy-efficient LED units. Overall, the energy assistance channelled via the UCPM is estimated to provide electricity for over 9 million people in Ukraine.
In addition to humanitarian aid, the EU is helping Ukrainians get through this winter with EU electricity export capacity at a maximum level. Since the beginning of Russia's unjustified invasion, at least €3 billion has been provided to Ukraine for energy security.
In total, EU support to Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion amounts to €193.3 billion.
