00:00As Ukraine braces for another tough winter, the United Nations is seeking to raise awareness
00:05of the dire conditions facing millions of Ukrainians left without electricity for hours
00:10and no heating. UN Goodwill Ambassador and acclaimed actor Nikolai Kosta-Waldau spoke
00:16to Euronews Europe editor Maria Tadeo from Ukraine, calling for more assistance to help
00:22the country keep the lights on. Take a listen. The whole, the grid is centralized. The heat
00:29heating is old school. It's all the way back from the Soviet days. It's a very, it's very
00:36vulnerable. And of course, it's being targeted constantly. So there's this, I met some emergency
00:43services. I was out and they, you know, they work constantly. They're very, very brave men
00:49and women. But obviously it's a, it's a, it's a very, very tricky situation. Now, the good
00:55thing, if you want to look at something good is that there's actually, there's a, there's
01:01an effort done to decentralize this whole system. And there's a lot of equipment that has been
01:06donated. Now, the problem is, it's not that simple to just plug in and go. It's, it's comp,
01:12it's because it's different system. It's, it's, this system in Kiev is old and new systems,
01:18of course, it's different technology, but it can be done. But of course we need, it needs,
01:23it's, we need a lot of help. Ukrainians can't do this on their own. They need us to help them.
01:29And you are a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, but what is your message to Europeans who
01:35may go, I hear what you say. I listened to what you're saying, but this is not a war for
01:40Europe.
01:41It is too long now, five years. It is coming at a big cost. It just, it needs to end.
01:47What is your
01:47message to Europeans? Obviously we can all have opinions. That doesn't really, for me in this
01:52situation is not important. I think that the fatigue, yes. Fatigue, I've been here for one
02:00week, every night being woken up, not being able to sleep tonight. Yeah. Fatigue is, is, is real here
02:06in, in Ukraine. I can, trust me, I don't think anyone's more exhausted by this war than the
02:12Ukrainians. I, yes. And, and yes, in, in, in Europe there's, there are voices that will,
02:19but usually I think most people can see through that, that the, if, if the politicians try to,
02:25to use it, it's usually it's, it's in a domestic policy discussion. And I think I've met so many
02:32volunteers from around Europe here in Ukraine who really do a great job. And I think we all
02:38understand that, that we have to help civilians. It's a, it's that simple.
02:43And I don't want to get too much into the politics, but we've seen voices, we've heard
02:47voices, the likes of Le Pen in France have said, if she is elected, she will not pay for Ukraine
02:54based on your own experience. And you were there last week. Is this good value for money? Is this
03:00as something more beyond a quote unquote charity?
03:03It's, it's, it, if you want to look at it in a cynical way, if it's all about your checks
03:09and
03:09balances, and it's not about morals, fair, this is a very good investment in the future,
03:14you know, because on so many levels, I think Europe needs a free Ukraine and Europe needs a strong
03:22Ukraine and needs a Ukraine that can, once this is over, we'll be able to get back on their feet
03:28quickly. And also remember, there is an insane amount of knowledge and innovation that has happened
03:35every day in Ukraine that we will all benefit from.
03:39And lastly, I have to ask you, you have been a UN Goodwill Ambassador for years. Now, there is a
03:45race
03:46very active to elect the next head of the United Nations. When you look at this institution,
03:52is there still a future for the United Nations?
03:55I think, obviously, any big organization is not perfect. The UN is not perfect. I don't see an
04:02alternative. I think we have to go back, in my opinion, to look, let's look at the charter and
04:08then let, let, let me hear if anyone disagrees with the charter. And that is because it's a
04:13beautiful written document. Now, reform is always good, is needed. I don't, I don't know who the right
04:22person is, but I think that, that, yes, can the UN be better? Absolutely. But tearing something apart
04:30bit for bit does not help. We need to support it, just like we need to support Ukraine.
