Russia should feel the pressure so that they fulfill the requests of their partners and really move towards peace in the negotiations - address of the President
There were hits specifically on energy facilities. Also, the Russians used another 450 drones, and a significant part of them are "shahedis". It is most difficult after the attack in Kyiv, in Kyiv region, in Kharkiv and the region, in particular in the city of Lozova, as well as in the regions of Central Ukraine - this is primarily in the Dnipro region, also in the Vinnytsia region; in part of Chernivtsi region. There were blows during the day, and now, in the evening, there were blows again.
Our necessary forces are deployed everywhere to restore. It is important that government officials help regional and local authorities with equipment and reserves as much as possible. Every field manager has to be fast enough – there is simply no time to wait. It is necessary to be as active as possible with partners - all partners who can help with support packages should receive all the necessary information. Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, was in Ukraine today.
He also visited, among other things, a broken CHP plant – broken by missiles. We agreed that Mark will help us so that the leaders know what is happening and that Ukraine should be supported right now. This applies, in particular, to missiles for air defense - missiles for "patriots", because we see what tactics the Russians have chosen. They do not save on means of destruction. New partner contributions are needed for the PURL program that allows us to buy guns in America.
We agreed with Mark which countries should respond and can help the fastest. We are waiting for the reaction of the United States of America to the Russian strikes. It was America's proposal: for the duration of diplomacy and such cold winter weather, to stop strikes on energy. There was a request personally from the President of the United States. We can see that Russia responded to this request with a ballistics record - less than four days have passed since the week Russia was asked.
This also speaks of everything else that Russia promises or can still promise. If their word is not kept now, then what to expect next. They lied even before this war, and Russia started a full-scale war, trying to deceive everyone around them about their intentions and about Ukraine. And now, even in such details, in such agreements with America, it is Russian deception again. They are beyond repair in Moscow.
And they want to take advantage of the cold, because they cannot conquer us - Ukraine - with their assaults. Russia's bid for war must receive a response from the world. The United States Congress has been working on a new sanctions bill for a long time, and it is important that there is movement on it. European partners – and we have talked about this with both President Macron and Ursula von der Leyen – can take decisive action against Russian oil tankers that are making money for the war.
Europe needs the same strong capabilities that America now has, not just to stop the tankers, or not only to stop them, which are carrying oil for Russia, but to confiscate both the tankers and the oil. We are very pleased. Russia should feel the pressure so that they fulfill the requests of their partners and really move towards peace in the negotiations. So far, concessions are expected only from Ukraine. Russia must make concessions, and the most important of them is to stop aggression.
Whoever started the war must take steps to de-escalate and stop the war. If this is not the case and until it is not there, every Russian blow hits not just our energy, not just our cities and communities in -20 - every blow also hits those leaders who talk to Russia and get further war from it in return. Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kyiv, communities of Donetsk region, Kherson region are constantly under attack.
Today in Zaporizhzhia, a Russian drone killed two passers-by, just on the street - they were both 18 years old. My condolences to the family. The war must be stopped. But if the world - in America, in Europe - does not have the power to stop the Russian strikes, then who will believe that it has the power to guarantee the real non-ignition of war again? Steps are needed to ensure trust in everything that is happening between the various parties now.
And pressure is needed so that Russia has a motive to invest in diplomacy, and not in a war of destruction. One more thing. I want to thank everyone in Ukraine who works and tries to make conditions for people easier. Thanks to every repair team, all energy companies, state companies that joined. Ukrzaliznytsia is also helping, Naftogaz is forming additional teams. I thank you. Thank you! It is important that government support programs work.
Seventeen million eight hundred thousand Ukrainians have now taken advantage of the winter support program. Programs have been launched that can support small businesses and FOPs at this time. This is, in particular, a program for servicing the purchase of generators and fuel. Only on the first day of this program, today there are already 4 thousand applications.
We are scaling up the program with heat packs, and in the coming days, at least 30,000 such packs will be distributed in the regions where it is most difficult. Loans at 0% for the purchase of generators also started. The support program for the most vulnerable social groups worked - 374,000 Ukrainians received assistance of 6,500 hryvnias each. There will be other support programs - today we discussed this with Prime Minister Yulia Svyridenko.