Austria allocates another EUR 8M for humanitarian aid to Ukrainians

Austria is donating another EUR 8 million for humanitarian aid to Ukraine and reaffirms its commitment to further supporting the Ukrainian people and finding a just peace with respect for the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

That’s according to a statement posted by the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ahead of the date that marks 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"1,000 days ago, we woke up in a completely different world. A world in which war has returned to Europe. It has been 1,000 days since Putin invaded Ukraine and launched his completely unprovoked, brutal war of aggression. And even if the war is in our immediate neighborhood no longer dominates our daily news, we must never get used to this flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law in the heart of Europe," said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

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The ministry emphasized that the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, can stop the war he started even today, "by withdrawing all his troops from Ukraine and stopping the attacks."

"Putin and his henchmen are fully responsible for the suffering they have caused, and this should not go unpunished. Austria has stood firmly on the side of the Ukrainian people from day one. Humanitarian aid ahead of the third winter of the war will be increased by another eight million euros from the Aid Fund in case of disasters abroad (AKF) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the statement reads.

About EUR 5 million will be allocated to the humanitarian demining project of the UN World Food Program (WFP), which is aimed at restoring agricultural production in Ukraine. The goal of the project is to enable Ukrainian farmers to cultivate their fields again without risks. Another EUR 3 million will be received by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide humanitarian aid in Ukraine and Moldova, which sheltered a large number of Ukrainians.

Read also: Austria’s top diplomat sees no readiness for peace talks from Moscow

"We all want an end to the war, but what people in Ukraine want most is this. Like any war, this one must end at the negotiating table. However, it must not be a peace imposed on Ukraine. It must be a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, which is based on international law and respect for Ukrainian sovereignty and independence. Only Ukrainians have the right to decide when and how this will happen. After all, they have been defending their country, their sovereignty and territorial integrity for 1,000 days with bravery that is worth of admiration. No talks on Ukraine without Ukraine’s participation!" Schallenberg stressed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the countries of the Group of Seven (G7) assured that with the approach of 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, they remain united with Ukraine and will continue to provide Ukraine with the necessary assistance and support to defend against Russian aggression for as long as it takes.