By BRUSSELS. Dec 13 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The EU summit, which is due to be held in Brussels on December 15, is planned to be held as a one-day meeting and focus on strategic issues, President of the European Council Charles Michel said in his letter of invitation to the heads of state and government of the EU countries.
"Ukraine is, as always, at the heart of our concerns. Russia’s massive military escalation since 10 October, with its repeated targeting of Ukraine’s critical facilities and energy infrastructure, has caused huge damage to Ukraine’s power grid. Millions of civilians are left without electricity, heating and running water. The situation, exacerbated as snow and sub-zero temperatures set in, requires an appropriate response from us, including in terms of humanitarian preparedness and assistance," Michel said in a statement published Monday evening on the website of the European Council.
He said that, in addition to Ukraine’s urgent needs, "a substantive debate is also needed on how to guarantee the sustainability of our military and financial support to Ukraine."
The head of the European Council said this year "has radically transformed our energy landscape and has made it clearer than ever that we need to act together."
"Ensuring security of supply and reducing prices for citizens and businesses remain our priority. Against this backdrop, we will review progress since October and give further guidance," Michel said.
He also stressed the importance of discussing the tasks for the coming year. "One of the most important milestones of 2023 will be the electricity market reform to be proposed by the Commission as soon as possible. Our coordination efforts, however, need to be coupled with concrete projects and a committed investment in innovation, infrastructure and energy efficiency to phase out our dependency on Russian fossil fuels," the President of the European Council said.
