Belgium plans to provide an additional €9 million in aid to rebuild Ukraine's damaged energy infrastructure. This financial contribution will be part of a new support package for Ukraine, La Libre reports, citing Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation Caroline Gennez.


The minister noted that the power plants that will receive these funds play an important role in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, providing heat, the ability to cook food and do laundry.


The money will be transferred through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which has already helped Ukraine since the beginning of the war by providing new generators and other equipment to rebuild infrastructure.


Gennez emphasized that Ukraine's energy system needs significant improvements, as it is outdated and centralized, making it vulnerable to Russian attacks. Therefore, special attention is being paid to the development of sustainable and decentralized energy sources, such as solar panels, so that in case of damage to one facility, it does not lead to a massive power outage.


Belgium also plans to help rebuild the energy infrastructure near Kharkiv through the UN, as the city is currently under constant shelling by the Russian army. These measures, together with military support, will contribute to strengthening Ukraine's resilience.