Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Commission announced plans to send more aid to Ukraine to help the country cope with destruction of infrastructure.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the EC noted that it will send additional 175 million euro in humanitarian aid and launch an emergency shelter programme to help the most vulnerable.
Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, visited Kiev on Wednesday to help coordinate the bloc’s operations.
He attended meetings with Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky and Minister of Communities and Territories Development Oleksiy Chernyshov.
Lenarčič noted that “Russia is further escalating its brutal attacks against Ukraine, specifically targeting civilian infrastructure and residential buildings.” He reiterated that the Commission stands with Ukraine.
Preparations for winter
“The upcoming winter is likely to bring major challenges to Ukraine and we must be prepared,” Lenarčič stated and added “via our rescEU reserve, a temporary shelter capacity will be immediately deployed to three different regions in Ukraine: Rivne, Bucha and Kharkiv.”
He added that the 175 million euro in aid is to go towards providing food, water, winter shelter and education to Ukrainians.
“We are also working together by preparing a pathway for Ukraine to join the EU Civil Protection Mechanism,” Lenarčič concluded.
As part of the winter response, the bloc will mobilise its rescEU strategic reserve, providing shelter units and stockpiles worth 62.3 million euro to Ukraine. Including Romania’s efforts, the EU will provide shelter for up to 46,000 Ukrainians.
The EC noted that 150 million euro in humanitarian aid will go to Ukraine and 25 million to Moldova, stressing that this will help the countries cope with expected freezing temperatures.
While the EU already mobilised its Civil Protection Mechanism to provide Ukraine with more than 70,000 tonnes of supplies, the EC and Ukraine started preparations for Ukraine to join the mechanism.
The Commission reminded that, since the start of the war, it allocated 523 million euro for humanitarian aid in Ukraine and 38 million for Moldova.
The body concluded that the emergency winter shelter programme will provide a temporary solution until permanent housing is made available.
