Austria to Allocate Additional €18 Mln to Aid Ukraine

Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said - in a press statement on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference held in London - that humanitarian aid and reconstruction go hand in hand, as the humanitarian situation in Ukraine remains tragic.

Schallenberg added that besides the systematic destruction of critical infrastructure such as the Cachuka Dam, the Russian war in Ukraine led to the largest refugee movement in Europe since World War II, so the Austrian government is providing another €18 million from the foreign ministry's Disaster Fund to support the people of Ukraine and Moldova.

He stated that the neighboring country of Moldova hosts the largest number of displaced persons from Ukraine compared to its population, as Austrian financial support has so far exceeded €150 million.

The foreign minister pointed out that at least 17.6 million people in Ukraine are in need of humanitarian aid, including over 3 million children.

Moreover, the countrywide pollution caused by internationally banned landmines and explosive remnants of war exacerbates the crisis of the Ukrainian civilian population. However, assistance on the ground by humanitarian organizations is vital.