Ukraine is being pushed towards a “humanitarian disaster” by Russia’s continuing assault, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in London on Friday.
Allies of Ukraine used a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" to promise more support to "keep the country in the fight. With its energy infrastructure under threat of collapse in the face of the Kremlin assault, the meeting acknowledged that Ukraine needed more assistance to get through the harsh winter ahead.
"Turning to Russia's systematic targeting of critical national infrastructure, the leaders said it was extremely important to step up support to Ukraine's national grid and look at new solutions to keep the lights on in villages and towns hit by Russian strikes through the winter," a Downing Street spokesman said.
Kyiv had hoped to reach a deal to use frozen Russian assets to strengthen its own national budget but an EU split saw the prospective deal collapse overnight.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office said he was pressing for Russian oil and gas to be taken off the global market while the UK was "pushing the case" for Kyiv to get more long-range missiles. The statement added it was vital to go "further to supply long-range capabilities to Ukraine".
The UK leader said the group was dialling up the pressure to bring President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Ukraine has attacked Russian energy facilities more than 60 times since the start of August, causing significant damage and disrupting the flow of oil and products through Russia's vast pipeline system. "They really want to make the winter cold a tool of torment and pressure on Ukraine," Mr Zelenskyy said. "Its important that our partners focus on what is most practical and effective.
"Our plan is to take strong steps together."
Kyiv's decision to focus on long-range targets inside Russia reflects its view that hitting the energy system was the best way to gain leverage over its foe. Mr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was directly targeting the Russian energy system to bring the Kremlin to the negotiating table.
Mark Rutte, the Nato Secretary General, said the pressure on Russia from the frontline to the oil market was paying off. "The developments on the battle show that our support to Ukraine is working and we need to keep it up," he said.
Mr Starmer said Ukraine's security was a shared concern and, pointing to a UK court conviction in a Russian-linked bomb attack on Friday, he said what happens in Donetsk can happen elsewhere in Europe the next day.
"We are strengthening Ukraine's air defence to protect its civilians and its energy infrastructure," he said.
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to meet Ukraine's "pressing financial needs" for the next two years but stopped short of endorsing a plan to use frozen Russian assets to fund a giant loan to Kyiv.
Unfriendly act
Moscow has promised a "painful response" if the assets are seized. Mr Putin also said the sanctions on oil companies were an unfriendly act, but would not significantly affect the Russian economy.
In another bid to starve Moscow of revenue, the EU approved a 19th package of sanctions, which includes a ban on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas.
Friday's talks in London were due to be a mixture of in-person and virtual, with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expected to join Mr Starmer and Mr Zelenskyy in London.
Mr Zelenskyy began his visit by meeting King Charles at Windsor Castle. The king has frequently expressed his support for Ukraine, notably hosting Mr Zelenskyy at his private residence shortly after the Ukrainian leader's stormy meeting with US President Donald Trump in February.
Hungary opposition
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that his government was working on "ways to circumvent" US sanctions against Russian energy companies.
The United States on Wednesday hit Russia's two biggest oil producers – Rosneft and Lukoil – with sanctions, the first against Russia since Mr Trump returned to office.
Hungary – seen as the Kremlin's and Trump's closest ally in the 27-nation EU – still depends heavily on Russian oil despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"Anyone who wants utility price reductions must defend Hungary's right to buy oil and gas from Russia, or at the same price as the Russian or cheaper," Mr Orban said in his weekly radio interview.
His government in 2013 introduced a household energy price cap, one of its flagship policies, to keep prices at bay.
"This battle is not over yet; there are indeed sanctions against certain Russian oil companies … We are working on ways to circumvent these sanctions," the nationalist leader added.
