Brussels is buzzing with talk of winter as Russian forces pursue their war in Ukraine. But the focus is more on Europe's energy crisis, inflamed by the invasion, than the fighting itself.

European Union leaders are at pains to say their support for Ukraine is unwavering.

That is despite the bloc stumbling through recent efforts to agree new measures against Moscow.

The EU says its sanctions are "grinding" Russia's economy but they are, as expected, hurting Europe too.

In public, at least, Ukrainian authorities say they are not concerned that Europe's energy crisis will affect support for them.

But they are not ignoring it. Officials in Kyiv are aware the coming months will be challenging, and the message to the EU has been consistent, and probably co-ordinated: it will be hard for you, but imagine what it will be like for us.

The 27 member states are now considering proposals to put a price cap on Russian gas - a measure that Vladimir Putin has warned will trigger a halt in Russian energy supplies.

EU plans Russian gas price cap despite Putin threat

Russia's indefinite shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, that runs from Russia to Germany, is widely seen across Europe as a retaliatory attempt by the Kremlin to push up gas prices and sow unrest.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly denounced what he describes as Russia's energy blackmail, urging European countries to remain united. Moscow, he said last weekend, was "trying to attack with poverty and political chaos where it cannot yet attack with missiles".

Days earlier, First Lady Olena Zelenska said that while the UK was "counting pennies", Ukraine was counting casualties. Simple and powerful words, designed to resonate.

President Putin's invasion and the subsequent brutalities seemed to shock the EU into action; it moved fast.