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The U.S. is helping Ukraine (UADPRYOY) plan how to keep homes and businesses heated during winter as the European Unions incoming chief diplomat warned the government in Kiev may struggle as freezing temperatures approach.

Fighting continued today in eastern Ukraine amid moves to establish a buffer zone to help cement a wobbly truce that went into effect a little more than a month ago between government forces and pro-Russian separatists.

We have a team in Ukraine looking at the immediate issues of this winter, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said yesterday at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. The issues are, unfortunately, challenging. Analysts are studying ways to heat homes with fuels other than natural gas, he said.

Ukraine is bracing for the onset of winter, when temperatures at times drop below minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit), with Russian gas supplies shut off and energy infrastructure damaged by the fighting thats engulfed the countrys easternmost regions. The fuel shortage has already limited access to hot water.

In Brussels, Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini said yesterday that Ukraine faces a winter that is going to be probably a nightmare from the economic point of view, from the energy point of view. Mogherini was speaking at a hearing on her nomination to become the EUs foreign policy chief.

In Kiev, President Petro Poroshenko met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and discussed the need for urgent measures to avoid a humanitarian disaster in his countrys east with winter drawing near, according to the presidents website. Poroshenko spoke of restoring supplies of natural gas, electricity and food products.

While a cease-fire signed Sept. 5 has eased the bloodshed in Ukraines easternmost regions, violence has continued on a smaller scale. One Ukrainian soldier has been killed and seven wounded since yesterday, the military said today via Facebook. Militants are continuing efforts to seize the airport in Donetsk, the combat zones biggest city, it said.

The conflict has killed at least 3,627 people and wounded 8,446, the United Nations estimates. Russia denies U.S., European and Ukrainian allegations that its supplying arms to the rebels and has deployed troops, tanks and artillery in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said yesterday during a visit to Warsaw that the alliance is concerned about cease-fire violations and that he hopes Russia will use its influence to ensure the truce holds.

Ukraine blames cease-fire violations on rogue elements among the rebels. The separatists are strictly adhering to the truce and only open fire when fired upon, the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic said on its website.

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U.S. Will Help Ukraine Plan for Heating as Fighting Continues