President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Monday that delays in approving a €90 billion ($103 billion) European Union loan could jeopardize Ukraine’s preparations for the winter season.
Speaking at a press conference, Zelensky said large-scale work to protect critical infrastructure was scheduled to begin on April 1 but has been slowed due to a lack of funding.
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Energy protection plan at risk
Zelensky said Ukraine has already approved a plan to safeguard energy and water infrastructure, including both physical protection and expanded air defense coverage.
The total cost of the program is estimated at $5.1 billion.
“We expected this amount to be fully or partially covered by these funds,” Zelensky said.
He warned that preparations for winter are a long-term process that must begin as early as possible, adding that delays in financing directly reduce Ukraine’s ability to complete the work before colder months.
Funding gap delays key projects
According to Zelensky, the absence of EU funds has prevented a full-scale rollout of construction and protection efforts.
“We must start building from April 1… but this is not happening on a large scale because there is no funding,” he said.
Ukraine has secured funding for salaries, pensions and military needs, but the main risks remain tied to infrastructure resilience, particularly in the energy sector.
Political deadlock in EU
Zelensky said European leaders must resolve the issue of releasing the first €45 billion tranche of the loan.
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