EU announces €148 million humanitarian aid package for Ukraine

As Russia’s war of aggression continues to devastate Ukraine, today the Commission announces €148 million in new humanitarian aid to support those affected by the war. With an estimated 12.7 million people in need of urgent assistance, this new funding is vital in providing life-saving support to those affected, ensuring that essential aid reaches the most vulnerable populations in Ukraine.

The €148 million in new funding will continue to support vital humanitarian aid in both Ukraine and Moldova, and will bring the total of humanitarian aid allocated by the European Commission to over €1.1 billion. Of the new package:

• €140 million is allocated for humanitarian projects in Ukraine. The funding will be directed toward providing emergency assistance, including food, shelter, clean water, healthcare, and winter protection. Key priorities include supporting vulnerable populations in the heavily impacted regions of eastern and southern Ukraine.
• €8 million is allocated for humanitarian projects in Moldova. Support will focus on aiding Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan host communities, prioritising cash assistance, access to critical services like healthcare and education, and psychosocial support.

Today, Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality Hadja Lahbib is visiting Ukraine to reinforce the EU’s ongoing efforts to provide critical assistance. During the visit, Commissioner Lahbib is expected to meet with key Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky and senior officials, to discuss urgent humanitarian challenges and the strategic allocation of EU aid. She will also meet with beneficiaries of EU humanitarian aid and local partners.

Prior to arriving in Kyiv, Commissioner Lahbib already visited the EU Medevac hub in Rzeszów, which assists the Civil Protection Mechanism medical evacuations of critically ill patients from Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Some 4,000 patients have been transferred to European hospitals for treatment since system was set up in March 2022.

Since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the EU has been coordinating its largest ever operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, delivering more than 150,000 tonnes of in-kind assistance into Ukraine. The EU has also deployed assistance from its rescEU stockpiles, including, power generators medical equipment, temporary shelter units, and water treatment stations to Ukraine.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said: “As Russia continues its cruelty in the dead of winter, the EU is intensifying its support to keep the lights on and homes warm. Our new funding of €148 million in humanitarian support is more powerful proof that we stand with Ukrainians in their hour of need. We will continue to do everything in our power to help those affected by this crisis with all our partners and the Ukrainian authorities. This war is a threat to all of us. We must stand together at this critical moment for Europe.”

Background

The EU has been providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the conflict began in 2014, addressing the needs of vulnerable communities in the country. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the EU significantly scaled up its response to tackle the unprecedented humanitarian challenges caused by the war. While Russia’s ongoing aggression continues to seriously endanger civilian lives and severely damage critical infrastructures the EU remains deeply concerned about Russia’s violations of international humanitarian law.

In response, the EU has mobilised all available resources to deliver emergency assistance. To date, the European Commission has allocated over €1.1 billion for humanitarian aid, including todays’ €148 million. Of this funding, €1.09 billion has been allocated for humanitarian programmes within Ukraine and €84 million to support refugees who have fled to neighbouring Moldova.

In addition to its humanitarian aid operations, the EU has been coordinating its largest ever operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism by delivering more than 150,000 tonnes of in-kind assistance into Ukraine, such as ambulances, fire engines, medicines, shelter supplies, power generators, and much more.

For extra layer of crisis support, the EU has also deployed its own rescEU emergency stockpiles to send power generators, medical equipment, temporary shelter, and specialised equipment for public health risks such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.

More information:

EU humanitarian aid and civil protection operations in Ukraine