Russia attacks Ukrainian power plants and other critical infrastructure during the coldest part of winter to break the resistance and fortitude of Ukrainians. And Europe’s duty is to support Ukrainians not only with humanitarian aid, but also with weapons in order to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, as well as introduce a new, 20th package of sanctions against Russia. This is the main conclusion of the debate “European response to attacks on the Ukrainian energy system that caused a humanitarian crisis”, held in the European Parliament on Tuesday, February 10.
Moscow uses winter as a weapon
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The world sees and understands full well that the terrible destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is not an accidental or collateral consequence of military action, but systematic, deliberate attacks aimed at plunging the civilian population into darkness and cold. This was stated in her speech by European Commissioner for Enlargement Martha Kos, who opened the debate. In her opinion, Russia is using winter as a weapon, trying to create a humanitarian catastrophe. However, brutal crimes against Ukrainians will have consequences, and Europe will increase pressure on Russia, the European Commissioner promised.
Kos said the EU “has mobilized unprecedented support for the stabilization, reconstruction and integration of Ukraine’s energy system and continues to do so every day.” According to her, since February 2022, the EU has provided Ukraine with 1.3 billion euros in humanitarian aid. “Support will continue in 2026, with an initial allocation of 153 million euros – 145 million euros for Ukraine and 8 million euros for Moldova,” the European Commissioner said. And through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Ukraine received more than 11 thousand generators and more than 7 thousand transformers.
“However, to truly protect Ukraine’s energy system, we must protect its skies. This means urgent deliveries of more air defense systems and missiles. We call on member states to act without delay,” Marta Kos said.
“Russia is committing crimes amounting to genocide”
A group of European parliamentarians who recently visited Kyiv saw with their own eyes “that Putin’s terror against the population of Ukraine is real,” German MP from the socialist group Tobias Cremer shared his impressions with his colleagues. “Unable to win the battle on the battlefield, Putin is targeting the civilian population – women, children, the elderly,” Kremer continued. “At -27°C, Ukrainians are now left without heating, electricity, water, but I have not met a single Ukrainian who is ready to surrender.”
Lithuanian liberal MP Petras Auštrevičius noted that missile attacks on Ukrainian thermal power plants and thermal power plants in the coldest months of winter caused a humanitarian catastrophe of national scale, from which hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians suffer. “By destroying Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Russia is committing crimes tantamount to genocide and crimes against humanity, which should be considered by a special tribunal,” Auštrevičius said.
He called for recognition that, under these conditions, the European Union “failed to provide Ukraine with the necessary support to protect its skies.” “Every Russian missile or drone that hits a target serves as a reminder of unfulfilled promises,” Auštrevičius emphasized.
Ukraine needs a lot more help
The scale of destruction caused by Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy system is enormous, noted Lithuanian MP from the European People’s Party Liudas Mazhilis. However, all the humanitarian and financial assistance already provided to Ukraine by European partners is not enough to compensate for the damage caused.
The Mazhilis cited the latest estimates from the World Bank, according to which the energy sector of Ukraine suffered losses amounting to $68 billion. “The ratio is simple and cruel: for every euro that we allocated, the Kremlin destroyed tens of times more. If we do not mobilize more funds now, then tomorrow we will pay more – not only in money, but also in human lives and weakening the security of all of Europe,” the deputy warned.
Speeches by right-wing politicians spark outrage
During the debate, even left-wing deputies, who usually avoid harsh statements against Russia, called for increasing pressure on Moscow with sanctions. Swedish MP Lee Anderson, a spokeswoman for the political group, said that today “Putin is attacking Ukrainians harder than ever” to “break their resistance and force them to make concessions in negotiations.” She is convinced that the EU should introduce tougher sanctions against the Russian “shadow fleet” and provide Ukraine with more financial and military assistance.
Only deputies from the right forces of the European Parliament continued to accuse the EU leadership of Russophobia. Bulgarian MP from the right-wing group “Europe of Sovereign Nations” Petr Volgin said that “while the leaders of the United States and the Russian Federation are trying to stop the war, the European Union is doing everything possible to ensure that this war does not stop.”
Volgin’s speech caused indignant cries in the hall. And German Green MP Damian Boeselager explained to his colleagues what the “gloomy word ‘holodomor’ means.” Its direct translation is death by cold. This is a war crime that you should have learned about from history books, and not in Europe in 2026,” he said, emphasizing that this is “the reality caused by Putin’s bombs” from which Ukrainians are suffering today. “Colleagues, let’s stop this Holodomor,” Beselager concluded his speech.
date:2026-02-11 17:11:00