Europe’s largest cities will donate power generators and transformers to Ukraine as part of a joint campaign. It comes as temperatures begin to drop and Russia continues to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
The “Generators of Hope” initiative, launched Wednesday by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence and president of Eurocities, a network of more than 200 large European cities, is aimed at providing energy to essential facilities in the country, including hospitals, schools, water supply stations, relief centers, shelters and phone masts.
“The European Parliament and the EU have shown remarkable solidarity with Ukraine on the humanitarian, military and financial front. Now they need practical support to get through the winter,” Metsola said at a press conference Wednesday. “I call on all cities, towns and regions across Europe to join the Generators of Hope campaign.”
“As Mayors, my colleagues and I know the importance of local services,” Nardella said. “By launching this direct call to action for cities to get together and help Ukraine by donating generators and transformers, we can help ensure that Ukraine’s cities will be able to manage their day to day lives in the best way possible.”
“We must act immediately. Winter is upon us, there is no electricity and gas, there is no time to waste,” Nardella added.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined the launch virtually, said Ukraine is “proud that Europeans and their institutions” are “standing by Ukraine in responding to Russia’s terrorist tactics against Ukrainian civilians.”
