European Union: €13 million to support Ukraine’s people affected by war and coronavirus

The European Commission has today announced €13 million in aid to support the most vulnerable people affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Six years have passed since the beginning of the conflict in the eastern region of the country, which has affected over 5.2 million people since March 2014. Indiscriminate shelling continues to hamper the provision of essential services, such as water and electricity, on both sides of the conflict line, the EU Commission explains. The money will fund humanitarian projects and help address the coronavirus outbreak. Basic services such as health and even water can hardly be accessed by vulnerable people, Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič explains: “The European Union stands in full solidarity with the people in eastern Ukraine”, and access to such services “is even more important in the face of the coronavirus outbreak”. 3.5 million people are still in need of humanitarian assistance. The funding will be used to “repair buildings damaged by the conflict, such as schools and health facilities”, and to guarantee access to education and water. UN agencies, NGOs, and the International Committee of the Red Cross will be in charge of advancing the projects funded by the EU. The latter, for its part, does not cease to call for “unimpeded access for the humanitarian organisations providing support on the ground to the non-government-controlled areas”. Ukraine ranks fifth in the world for civilian casualties linked to landmines and unexploded ordnances.
Sarah Numico