A UKRAINIAN charity which has previously received support from a Scottish island’s fundraising campaign has successfully completed a number of projects to help power hospitals in the country.
We previously told how the Scottish Islands Federation (SIF) had put together a funding drive for the RePower Ukraine charity.
Summed up by its motto – “resilience and green recovery for Ukraine” – the charity’s key mission is to provide emergency power to Ukrainians with renewable energy sources amid the ongoing war with Russia.
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Specifically, it aims to help repower hospitals damaged during the conflict and to raise funds for portable power banks, fuelled by solar energy to be distributed across the UK.
One of the charity’s many projects included implementing an advanced solar power plant with an energy storage system at the Kharkiv Children’s Hospital.
This will help to ensure energy independence and environmental sustainability for the region, with the solar station helping to provide power supply to the palliative care, rehabilitation and neurological inpatient departments in the absence of external power.
It also implemented a similar project at the Brovary Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital, which serves over 187,000 residents of the Brovary region.
Due to constant shelling, the hospital could not function fully but RePower Ukraine’s solar installation project means an uninterrupted power supply to the intensive care unit should external power fail.
Scottish ambassador for RePower Ukraine and chair of the SIF Camille Dressler, based in Eigg, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that through the work we’ve done, the initial work we’ve done, and exposure through The National, it has brought the charity’s work to the attention of others.
“Through that co-operation, we’ve been able to raise the profile of the organisation and more and more people from civil society across the UK are involved.
Anyone wishing to find out more or donate to RePower Ukraine can do so HERE.
Targeting of energy
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine’s energy system has been targeted, resulting in rolling blackouts and limited electricity supply to some regions for hours each day.
According to the International Energy Agency, Ukraine’s electricity supply could reach just six gigawatts this winter – about a third of expected peak demand.
Elsewhere, Keir Starmer (below) and Emmanuel Macron discussed putting Ukraine in the “strongest possible position going into winter” amid uncertainty over the future of US backing for Kyiv.
In a show of European solidarity days after Donald Trump’s US election win, the two leaders held talks in Paris to Armistice Day and consider how best to continue supporting the war-torn country.
Starmer met Macron on Monday ahead of commemorations in Paris marking the end of the First World War, becoming the first British prime minister to attend the events since Winston Churchill in 1944.
“The leaders started by discussing the situation in Ukraine, including how best to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position going into the winter,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“Turning to the Middle East, both underscored their deep concern at the situation in Gaza and Lebanon. They also reiterated the need for stability in the West Bank.
“Reflecting on the situation in the Channel, the Prime Minister set out his mission to disrupt and deter smuggling gangs across Europe, and the leaders strongly agreed on the importance of bearing down on illegal migration at every stage of a migrant’s journey.
“The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.”
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Starmer also met French prime minister Michel Barnier, who said afterwards that the Franco-British relationship had endured “trials” before and would be “invaluable in facing the challenges that lie ahead”.
Defence Secretary John Healey earlier downplayed concerns that the incoming Trump administration could imperil Ukraine, insisting he expects the US to support for Kyiv “for as along as it takes to prevail” over Russia.
During his campaign, the president-elect had insisted he would find a solution to end the war “within a day” without explaining how he would do so, which some had interpreted to mean a peace on terms favourable to Moscow.
He has also expressed scepticism towards Nato, accusing European countries of free-riding on America.
But facing broadcasters on Monday morning, Healey said he believed Washington would remain “steadfast” in its backing and would not turn away from the military bloc.
“As far as President Trump goes, he recognises that countries get security through strength, just as alliances like Nato do, and I expect the US to remain alongside allies like the UK, standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes to prevail over Putin’s invasion,” he told Sky News.
“I don’t expect the US to turn away from Nato. They recognise the importance of the alliance. They recognise the importance of avoiding further conflict in Europe.”
Downing Street refused to say whether Starmer believes Ukraine will be safe under a second Trump presidency, but added that it expected Washington to “remain alongside allies like the UK”.
“We’re not going to speculate on positions before the administration is in place. We always welcome sustained bipartisan support in the US or Ukraine, and that’s been key to our international efforts to support,” a Number 10 spokeswoman said.
“We expect the US to remain alongside allies like the UK in standing with Ukraine for as long as it takes to prevail over (Vladimir) Putin’s invasion.”
Trump (above) has previously criticised Washington’s provision of tens of billions of dollars of aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia, leading to fears that funding could wane under his second presidency.
At the weekend, Bryan Lanza, who worked on the Republican politician’s campaign, said his administration would be focused on resolving the conflict rather than helping Ukraine regain territory such as Crimea – though a spokesperson for the president-elect later distanced him from the remarks.
Downing Street said any peace talks should be “led by Ukraine.”
Asked whether the UK was looking to provide “as many arms as it can” before Mr Trump’s presidency, Number 10 said there was “no change” in that regard.
“We’ll be maintaining our position of continually stepping up,” a spokesperson said.
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