European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed that the European Union will activate a special emergency mechanism to provide rapid funding for Ukraine’s most urgent needs, according to the Ukrainian president’s office. During a phone call on Nov. 9, Zelenskyy said Russian strikes had left cities and communities facing severe disruptions to electricity, water and heating supplies. He identified Kyiv, the Dnipro, Sumy and Donetsk regions, and Kherson as among the areas facing the most difficult conditions. The two leaders also discussed additional energy and humanitarian assistance to help Ukraine prepare for winter. Their teams are working on implementing the emergency funding mechanism, the statement said. Zelenskyy and von der Leyen reviewed Ukraine’s progress toward European Union membership following the European Commission’s annual enlargement report. They also discussed diplomatic efforts, including talks on a recovery plan, European security guarantees and preparations for a meeting in Abu Dhabi. Post navigation Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake Strikes Santa Cruz Islands