As of Feb. 24, Ukraine has reached the fourth year of being under the siege of the Russian invasion.
The new anniversary of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict brought new rumors of a promise for newly increased aid from the European Union.
The EU has been helping the state of Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2022 with its first initial commission for monetary support for the military, humanitarian aid and financial aid.
The total fiscal support in the last four years has amounted to a total of nearly €195 billion, equivalent to about $216 billion USD.
“Our commitment to Ukraine is firm as ever. We work across the board to strengthen the country and support a just and lasting peace on Ukraine’s terms. Today’s disbursement and agreements are also an investment in a shared common future. We are backing Ukraine’s impressive reform efforts and deepening our ties—from space, security and defence to building a thriving business environment. Ми з вами,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“Ми з вами” translates to “we are with you” in the Ukrainian language.
Leyen reiterated the Union’s unwavering support in this fourth year of war. The EU has promised another €90 billion to the commitment to the war’s end.
“This winter, the EU and its Member States have delivered unprecedented energy assistance to Ukraine, alongside air defence and anti-drone systems, as well as humanitarian aid,” the European Parliament released in a statement regarding the war.
The conflict has come to a new, unforgivable measure of disaster. Though the capital city of Kyiv still stands, the conflict has wrought havoc on more than 15,000 civilians, with more than twice as many injured. Russian striking has also left another part of the population to suffer through the harsh Ukrainian winter season without heating, electricity and sometimes water as well.
The Ukrainian population has been newly revered for not only their military’s resilience, but for the humanitarian tenacity that the people have shown in these past four years of never-ending war. The city of Kyiv has created “invincibility points,” known as communal areas that provide warmth. Newly created crews have been working day and night in order to maintain at least a minimal level of power for the nation.
“We need unity, we need pressure, we need sanctions, we need the weapon support,” Vitaly Klitschko, the city’s mayor, said. “We defend our city, our houses, our families.”
Mayor Klitschko has also famously paused and been humored by the constant questioning of whether or not the U.S. is a stable and reliable ally in these hard times.
The promise by President Donald Trump to fully stop this war in a single day of his administration’s second term has yet to be achieved. Although he was able to stop Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s strikes on energy infrastructure to give the country a week’s worth of respite in January, we have yet to see substantial influence from President Trump over the situation he suggests he has under control.
