Lithuania, Italy deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine

The necessary medications and medical equipment worth EUR 42,825 will be shipped together with relief supplies that include 50 electric heaters, 100 folding beds, 100 warm sleeping bags, 2 power generators, 10 fuel-fired heaters, 10 tents and 2,000 wool blankets.

Many European countries, including Germany, Poland, Austria, Finland, Denmark, France, Latvia, Estonia, Croatia and Slovenia, have joined the Commission’s initiative. EU member-states acted in line with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. This EU initiative expresses solidarity with Ukraine and within the framework of this initiative 85 tonnes of relief supplies have been delivered to Ukraine.

According to the latest statistics more than 900,000 people have been displaced to safer areas within the country and about 600,000 have fled abroad. Around 1.4 million Ukrainians are considered to be in need of humanitarian assistance. The European Commission is prepared to allocate additional EUR 15 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

Italy has also reported about the country’s decision to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and the population in need.

In response to the request of Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, Italy has delivered contributions for EUR 200,000 financing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with EUR 100,000 for distribution of food products, medical supplies and shelters, as well as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with EUR 100,000 for assistance to refugees in the Donetsk region, providing items for winter.

In addition to that, Italy is a large contributor to the OSCE mission in Ukraine, participating last year in naval exercises in the Baltic and Black seas with its fleet and is now involved in the NATO Air Policing mission in the Baltic States.