Sweden has announced a new winter humanitarian aid package for Ukraine amounting to over 100.3 million euros (1.1 billion Swedish kronor). The aid will be directed towards addressing the most urgent challenges faced by Ukraine amid the war and the approaching cold season. The focus is on restoring and supporting critical infrastructure, ensuring energy supply, healthcare, and implementing essential reforms.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Support for Energy and Infrastructure Reconstruction
The Swedish government emphasized that with the onset of winter, Russia is intensifying attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. This results in millions of people being left without electricity, heat, and water, posing a threat of experiencing the harshest winter since 2022. In this regard, the new aid package is concentrated on addressing critical issues that arise specifically in winter, as well as strengthening Ukraine’s long-term resilience.
“Winter is approaching Ukraine. As temperatures drop, Russia is ramping up its attacks on civilian infrastructure, leaving millions of Ukrainians without access to electricity, heat, and water ahead of what is likely to be the worst winter since 2022. Therefore, the government is presenting a new support package focused on the most urgent needs this winter, as well as support that strengthens Ukraine’s resilience in the long term,” said Benjamin Dusa, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.
Enhancing Humanitarian and Energy Support
Minister for Energy and Enterprise Ebba Busch stressed that as Russia suffers defeats on the battlefield, it is shifting the war into the homes of civilians. According to her, strikes on the energy system and vital infrastructure are aimed at leaving the population without basic living conditions and sowing fear.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Sweden has already provided Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid amounting to approximately 109 billion Swedish kronor. Of this amount, 19.4 billion kronor has been directed specifically to support the civilian population.