The European Commission announced on Thursday that the EU has coordinated the delivery of 66,224 tonnes of in-kind assistance to Ukraine from 30 countries via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
Ukraine activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism already on 15 February in preparation for a large-scale emergency. Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February.
The assistance delivered includes 180 ambulances, 125 fire-fighting vehicles, 300 power generators, 35 heavy machinery vehicles, and 4 pontoon bridges. According to the Commission, this is by far the largest, longest lasting and most complex operation via the Mechanism since it was established in 2001, with an estimated value so far of over €425 million.
To support this operation, logistics hubs have been set up in Poland, Romania and Slovakia where assistance is then chanelled directly to Ukraine.
“We are all horrified by Russia's atrocities in Ukraine,” said the Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic. “By providing emergency assistance, we can at least ease the immense pressure on Ukraine's emergency response systems. Today we have reached an important milestone – over 60,000 tonnes of in-kind assistance coordinated via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has arrived in Ukraine.
He thanked every single EU member state, together with Norway, Turkey and North Macedonia, for having offered help that has then been channeled most effectively through the Mechanism. “This solidarity is the proof that the EU is with Ukraine not only in words but in actions.”
The EU continues receiving new offers to Ukraine from its member states still today but the needs in the current war of attrition, with no end in sight, probably exceed the aid offered. The military aid, which is not specified by the Commission, has enabled Ukraine to defend itself and has to a certain extent turned the tide in the war but is so far insufficient to inflict a decisive defeat on Russia.
The latest civilian offers via the Mechanism include hospital beds and hygiene kits from Austria, an ambulance and medical equipment from Norway, shelter equipment from Finland, protective personal equipment from Germany, medicines from Czechia and Slovakia, power generators from Italy and energy supply equipment from France.
The Brussels Times
