EU weighs Ukraine support as new refugee exodus beckons

European Union leaders sought Friday to shore up their support for Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was trying to spark a refugee exodus by destroying his war-ravaged country’s energy infrastructure.
Nearly eight months into the war, Russia has increasingly targeted Ukraine’s power stations, waterworks and other key infrastructure with missile and drone strikes. Meanwhile, the EU is struggling with the fallout of having to urgently wean itself off Russian gas and oil as the war fuels price hikes and market nervousness.
In a speech via video link to European leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Zelenskyy said “attacks by Russian cruise missiles and Iranian combat drones have destroyed more than a third of our energy infrastructure. Because of this, unfortunately we are no longer able to export electricity to help you maintain stability.”