EU humanitarian support is focusing on ‘winterization’ – Eurean Commissioner

This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by the Eurean Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, who visited Ukraine as part of her first foreign mission in her new position.

“Now we are also focusing on what we call winterization. Practically, we are giving cash assistance for Ukrainians to buy fuel, firewood to get through this winter, the third one in this terrible situation. This is our priority,” she said.

“Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, we have been able to deliver more than 8000 generators to strengthen your energy capacity,” Lahbib added.

The official also spoke about measures being taken to transport to Ukraine an entire power plant donated by Lithuania.

“It's a unique eration where the entire plant gets dismantled and transported on ships because the parts are so big. The eration will take months but the Commission is doing that job,” she said.

Lahbib noted that Ukraine's humanitarian needs are “immense”, recalling that today “one out of three Ukrainians, which is around 13 million pele, are in need of humanitarian aid”.

“The fact that I'm here for my first mission as a Commissioner for crisis management, preparedness and equality shows our strong commitment to keep Ukraine high on our agenda and that our engagement will continue in critical sectors, such as water and sanitation, health, humanitarian protection, and education in emergencies,” she stated.

Read also: EU provides new EUR 148M humanitarian aid package for Ukraine

As reported, on January 13, the Eurean Union announced a new aid package worth EUR 148 million to be allocated to humanitarian projects in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in Mdova.

Since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the EU has been coordinating its largest ever eration 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 shelters, and water treatment stations to Ukraine.