EU prepares emergency aid mechanism for Ukraine due to problems with water, electricity and heating

The European Union is exploring the possibility of providing urgent assistance to Ukraine through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) amid the difficult humanitarian situation caused by Russian attacks on critical infrastructure.

This was announced by European Commission spokeswoman Paula Piño at a briefing in Brussels, reports Babel.

According to her, this issue was one of the topics of conversation between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the day before.

Zelensky stressed that the most difficult situation in the energy sector, water and heat supply in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Donetsk and Kherson regions due to Russian strikes.

Therefore, the EU special mechanism, which will be applied in Ukraine, will allow for the prompt receipt of funds to solve these problems.

Today, representatives of the European Commission and Ukraine will meet to identify the most urgent needs and to clarify what assistance can be provided, including through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The European Commission promised to announce the specific list of assistance, the timing of its provision, and further steps after consultations.

"We will not allow Russia to freeze Ukraine in order to force it to capitulate," said Pinho.

• The Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) brings together 27 EU Member States and 10 participating countries — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.
• The countries work together to prevent emergencies, detect threats early and respond to them both within the EU and beyond. To do this, they coordinate their actions and send each other international assistance.

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