EU Commission chief said Wednesday that the European Union will provide €100 million ($100 million) for rebuilding schools damaged in Ukraine due to the ongoing war with Russia.
Ursula Von der Leyen gave the State of the European Union speech in which she outlined the main lines of action for the EU in the upcoming year at the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
She reassured that Europe’s solidarity with Ukraine will remain “unshakable,” promising that the bloc will maintain sanctions against Russia and financial support for Ukraine.
Von der Leyen said the funding was directed to Kyiv “because the future of Ukraine begins in the schools with children.”
She also promised that Ukraine can join the EU free roaming zone, providing reduced mobile phone and data tariffs.
Russian President Vladimir “Putin will fail, Ukraine and Europe will prevail,” she further said.
Touching upon the energy crisis in Europe with Russia threatening to cut off gas supply, she said millions of Europeans need support to pay their energy bills.
“Some companies produce electricity at low cost and make great margins. We propose a cap on their revenues that will raise more than €140 billion. And we will deeply reform our electricity market,” she said.
As von der Leyen’s guest of honor, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelanska participated in the event.__The Nation
