Sweden Has Announced €120 Million Winter Aid Package for Ukraine
Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, and Minister for Development, Johan Forssell, have declared the allocation of 1.4 billion kronor, approximately 120 million euros, for Ukraine as part of the so-called Winter Package. The assistance aims to support Ukrainians throughout the winter.
This information is reported by SVT.
It is noted that a significant portion of the funds will be directed through the World Bank's fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The fund supports the reconstruction of Ukraine's infrastructure, including in the fields of energy, housing construction, healthcare, and transport.
The funds will be used to purchase heating equipment, increase the capacity of Ukrainian power grids, and build shelters to help Ukrainians endure the winter.
According to Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, the announced package will be the largest to date within the framework of Sweden's bilateral assistance to Ukraine.
In addition, Sweden's Minister for Development, Johan Forssell, emphasized that Russia continues its disgraceful policy of 'energy terrorism' against Ukrainians.
"Russia deliberately attacks civilian infrastructure to make the already severe trials for the civilian population even more challenging. With this package, we aim to help Ukraine both build anew and restore what has been destroyed," noted Forssell.
Recall that last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom announced the provision of a humanitarian package to Ukraine in the amount of £36.75 million. The funds will be directed to the needs of the most vulnerable segments of the population, including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Earlier, The Gaze also reported that the World Bank Director for Eastern Europe, Arup Banerji, and Ukraine's Minister of Social Policy, Oksana Zholnovych, signed a joint agreement within the recently launched INSPIRE project, which envisages the allocation of an additional $1.2 billion in the form of loans and grants to finance social payments in Ukraine.
It is expected that this amount will cover the most critical needs of nearly 10 million Ukrainians and strengthen the ability of the Ukrainian government to provide social support to the poor and vulnerable populations in an exceptionally challenging time for the country.