The European Commission has announced €153 million ($183 million) in emergency aid for Ukraine, alongside €8 million ($9.5 million) to support Moldova, which hosts large numbers of Ukrainian refugees.

The Commission said the aid aims to address urgent humanitarian needs, providing protection assistance, shelter, food, cash support, psychosocial care, and access to clean water and healthcare services.

“After more than a decade of hostilities and almost four years of full-scale war, the people of Ukraine continue to endure immense suffering,” the Commission said.

Due to repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, millions of people are exposed to freezing winter temperatures. To mitigate the impact, the European Union say it's delivered 447 power generators this week, valued at €3.7 million ($4.4 million), to restore electricity to hospitals, shelters, and other critical services.

An additional 500 generators are being deployed from the EU’s rescEU strategic reserves to maintain essential services across affected regions.

The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin had agreed to refrain from firing on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for a week because of cold winter weather.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he thanked Washington for the initiative, which he described as halting Russian strikes on energy targets, which have left hundreds of apartments in Kyiv without power during freezing weather.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow, which had earlier issued a new invitation for Zelenskyy to hold talks in Moscow, an offer already long rejected by the Ukrainian leader.

Speaking afterwards in his nightly video address on Thursday, Zelenskyy thanked the United States "for their efforts in ensuring a stop to strikes on energy (targets) at this time and let's hope that America succeeds in ensuring this".

"We shall see what the real situation is with our energy facilities and cities in the days and nights to come," he said.

• Ukraine faces harsh winter as Russian strikes continue to cripple energy system

Support for Moldova

The €8 million allocated to Moldova is intended to bolster its capacity to host Ukrainian refugees, providing vital services and resources for displaced populations.

The European Commission said its humanitarian response will continue to adapt to the evolving needs of those affected by the war in Ukraine and the harsh winter conditions.

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