The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has donated more than €1 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine and in one month, the humanitarian aid hub has received more than 60 Ukrainian requests related to food aid, healthcare and temporary shelter. The humanitarian aid hub is coordinating the aid shipments of Estonia's national authorities and major shipments by companies and is organising transport when necessary.
Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets said that due to Russia’s war in Ukraine, more than 12 million people were in need of humanitarian aid and unfortunately, the humanitarian disaster was getting worse. “In five weeks, the number of people in need of humanitarian aid has almost reached the level that Syria reached in ten years, with more than 13 million people needing humanitarian aid there today,” she noted.
“Innocent people are deliberately being injured and killed in Russia’s attacks. Residents who have been forced to flee their homes to escape violence must make do without shelter, water, food and other necessities. It is clear that the humanitarian needs of the people who have been subjected to the horrors of war for more than a month now will only grow and persist for a long period of time. This is why our humanitarian aid hub will continue to dedicate itself to making sure the necessary assistance reaches the people of Ukraine,” Liimets said.
She highlighted that the people, public and private sector of Estonia have offered enormous support to the state and people of Ukraine – more than €12 million in total has been donated in humanitarian assistance so far. This includes the contribution of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of more than €1 million. Over more than a month, the humanitarian aid hub has helped coordinate many major aid shipments with national authorities, companies and NGOs to respond to Ukraine's requests for assistance in food, temporary shelter and healthcare.
For example, for food aid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has cooperated with the Estonian Food Bank to send baby food, oatmeal, meat preserves, soup and other ready-to-eat foodstuffs to Ukraine. Most of the food aid has been shipped directly to Ukraine where it has been received by the Ukrainian Food Bank. Four more shipments of food aid to Lviv and Chernihiv are currently being prepared.
In cooperation with Chemi-Pharm and the Centre for Defence Investments, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent disinfectants to the Lviv regional hospital for cleaning hands, surfaces and equipment for both hospitals as well as ordinary people. The shipment included more than 13 000 litres of disinfectants worth €35 000. Several shipments of medical equipment for first aid in Ukraine are being prepared.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent more than 5000 blankets, pillows and mattresses for the temporary shelters in Ukraine. Various kinds of IT equipment is being compiled to respond to the request for assistance from the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.
The hub has also helped with transport whenever needed to make sure the shipments reach Ukraine as quickly as possible, and if it is not possible, they arrive in interim storages in Poland. A delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Estonian Rescue Board visited Warsaw to get to know the humanitarian situation in Poland, and spoke to Polish authorities about working together to help the people and refugees of Ukraine.
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