Germany to contribute further 88.5 mln euros to Ukraine Energy Support Fund

MOSCOW. Dec 22 (Interfax) - The German federal government will transfer 88.5 million euros more to the European Energy Community to replenish the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is contributing 54.3 million euros via KfW while the Federal Foreign Office is providing 34.2 million euros, Ukrainian media said, citing the agencies' press release.

At the end of last year, the German federal government had already contributed 129.5 million euros to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, the agencies said. This brings Germany's overall contribution to 218 million euros. Germany remains the fund's largest donor.

"Ukrainian energy companies can use these funds to repair substations and power plants in order to continue supplying people with electricity and heat. Another part of the funds will be used for green energy transition projects, such as photovoltaic systems on public buildings and the green reconstruction of Ukraine," they said.

The contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund are part of the federal government's winter package of over 1.6 billion euros for Ukraine this year, which also includes development policy support and humanitarian assistance, they said.

The overall amount of contributions pledged by sponsors to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund rose to 390 million euros in the first two weeks of December, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said in an earlier statement. A total of 229 million euros was transferred to the fund's account from 18 public and private sector sponsors from different countries. Contracts were signed as part of the fund to acquire energy equipment and materials for nearly 114 million euros.

The Ukraine Energy Support Fund was established by the European Union's Energy Community Secretariat in the spring of 2022 to accumulate financial support for the Ukrainian energy sector from governments, international financial organizations and private donors.