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.
00:25The whole, the grid is centralized. The heating is old school. It's all the way back from
00:32the Soviet days. It's a very, it's very vulnerable. And of course, it's being targeted constantly.
00:41So there's this, I met some emergency services. I was out and they, you know, they work constantly.
00:47They're very, very brave men and women. But obviously, it's a very, very tricky situation.
00:55Now, the good thing, if you want to look at something good, is that there's actually, there's
01:00a, there's an effort done to decentralize this whole system. And there's a lot of equipment
01:06that has been donated. Now, the problem is, it's not that simple to just plug in and go.
01:11So it's, it's, it's, it's because it's different system. It's, it's, this system in Kyiv is old,
01:17the new systems, of course, it's different technology, but it can't be done. But of course,
01:21we need, it needs, we need a lot of help. Ukrainians can't do this on their own. They need
01:28us to help them.
01:29And you are a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations. But what is your message to Europeans
01:35who may go, I hear what you say, I listen to what you're saying, but this is not a war
01:40for Europe. It is too long now, five years, that is coming at a big cost. It just, it
01:46needs to end. What is your message to Europeans?
01:49Obviously, we can all have opinions that doesn't really, for me in this situation, is not important.
01:53I think that the fatigue, yes, fatigue, I've been here for one week, every night being
02:01woken up, not being able to sleep tonight. Yeah, fatigue is, is, is real here in Ukraine.
02:07I can, trust me, I don't think anyone's more exhausted by this war than the Ukrainians.
02:13I, yes, and, and yes, in, in, in Europe, there's, there are voices that will, but usually I think
02:21most people can see through that, that if, if the politicians try to, to use it, it's usually
02:26it's, it's in a domestic policy discussion. I think I've met so many volunteers from around
02:34Europe, here in Ukraine, who really do a great job. And I think we all understand that, that we have
02:40to help civilians. It's, it's that simple. And I don't want to get too much into the politics,
02:45but we've seen voices, we've heard voices, the likes of Le Pen in France have said, if she is
02:50elected, she will not pay, uh, for Ukraine based on your own experience. And you were there last
02:57week. Is this good value for money? Is this as 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, you know,
03:15because on so many levels, uh, I think Europe, uh, 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
03:35that happened every day in Ukraine that we will all benefit from.
03:38And lastly, I have to ask you, you have been a UN Goodwill ambassador for years. Uh, now there is
03:45a
03:45race, uh, very active, uh, to elect the next head of the United Nations. When you look at this
03:52institution, is 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 then
04:08let,
04:08let, let me hear if anyone disagrees with the charter. And that is because it's a beautiful
04:14written document. Now, reform is always good, is needed. I don't, I don't know who the right person
04:23is, but I think that, that, uh, yes, can, can the UN be better? Absolutely. But, uh, tearing something
04:30apart bit for bit does not help. We need to support it just like we need to support Ukraine.
