Weekly Update #101
 February 5, 2024

REFUGEE SITUATION

(as of 31 December 2023)

General Figures


Refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe 

5,974,800

Last updated December 31 2023

Covers those granted refugee status, temporary asylum status, temporary protection, or statuses through similar national protection schemes, as well as those recorded in the country under other forms of stay 


Refugees from Ukraine recorded beyond Europe

470,000

Last updated December 31 2023

Covers those granted refugee status, temporary asylum status, temporary protection, or statuses through similar national protection schemes, as well as those recorded in the country under other forms of stay 


Refugees from Ukraine recorded globally

6,444,800

Last updated December 31 2023

 

Source: UNHCR collation of statistics made available by the authorities

UKRAINIAN REFUGEE CRISIS

Key Figures


Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

As of 25 September 2023, there are now an estimated 3.7 million persons internally displaced within Ukraine (IOM, 2023). More than two thirds of IDPs (70%) reported having been displaced for one year or longer (ibid). 

Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Between 24 February 2022 and 31 December 2023, nearly 6 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded across Europe and another 500,000 beyond Europe (UNHCR, 2023). Nearly 5.4 million refugees from Ukraine have registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes since 24 February 2022. The three main countries where people registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes were Poland, Germany and Czechia.

Returns

As of 25 September 2023, 4.6 million people had returned to their habitual place of residence after a significant period of displacement from abroad or from displacement within Ukraine[2], with 22 per cent returning from abroad (IOM, 2023a).  An estimated 298,000 people who returned from abroad remain in displacement within Ukraine (IOM, 2023b).

Source: Migration Data Portal

THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

 

As we enter the third year of the full-scale war in Ukraine, the situation is expected to become increasingly protracted, particularly in the eastern

and southern parts of the country, where shelling and targeted attacks on infrastructure have become a part of daily life. 


14.6 million people inside Ukraine will need multisectoral humanitarian assistance, including some 3.7 million people internally displaced by the war. The number of refugees seeking protection across Europe is expected to remain stable at around 5.9 million, with continuing pendular movements between Ukraine and host countries. 


According to UNHCR intention survey results, nearly 80 per cent of refugees hope to return to Ukraine one day, however just 14 per cent plan to do so in the near future. Security concerns remain paramount, along with access to basic services, housing and livelihoods, for refugees and internally displaced people when deciding whether to return.


Overview of needs

Nearly two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian Federation forces, humanitarian needs remain alarmingly high among the affected population. 


The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) projects that 14.6 million people will be in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024. According to the Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) undertaken in 2023, inadequate access to protection, dignified shelter or housing, and livelihoods remain key drivers of household vulnerability. 


Challenges in accessing social services, health constraints, and loss of livelihoods have compounded protection challenges, with 22 per cent of households experiencing extreme protection needs. Protection needs are even

higher in collective sites, with 42 per cent of households in 2,595 collective sites reporting severe protection needs. Heightened protection gaps and needs were also reported in areas directly impacted by the war, particularly in frontline

areas in the east, north and south of the country.


Likewise, the second Rapid Damage Needs Assessment (RDNA2), undertaken jointly by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank and the United Nations in early 2023, further underscores the breadth of destruction and the recovery

challenges that lay ahead, notably in the sectors of de-mining, housing, social infrastructure and services, jobs and energy. Over 1.4 million housing units have been destroyed. An estimated 7.9 million people in 2024 in Ukraine will need emergency shelter assistance, housing repairs and household non-food items (NFIs), with the vast majority having severe, extreme or catastrophic needs.


As the war continues and humanitarian needs remain acute, there is increasing focus on early recovery and durable solutions for returnees, internally displaced people, and those who remain in areas impacted by war across the country.


The UN and partners asked donors for a combined US$4.2 billion to support war-affected communities in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees and their host communities in the region in 2024. 

Source: UNHCR

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UN and partners provided vital aid to 11 million people in war-ravaged Ukraine in 2023 


The United Nations and partners provided approximately 11 million people in Ukraine with vital humanitarian assistance in 2023, according to the Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Denise Brown.


According to Denise Brown, assistance to people in communities close to the front line was one of the priorities for the humanitarian community in 2023, including through 107 inter-agency convoys that delivered much-needed supplies to families whose lives have been devastated by the war.


Over the last months of 2023, the UN and its humanitarian partners stepped up efforts to provide critical supplies and services to ensure families can keep warm and safe during Ukraine’s bitter winter, when temperatures can drop to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius. 


In total, nearly 1.7 million people were reached with solid fuel to ensure heating in areas without power, gas or water, as well as winter clothes, thermal blankets, and insulation of homes and centres hosting displaced people.


Throughout the year, humanitarians have also provided people in Ukraine with much-needed water and hygiene supplies, materials to repair homes, health or education services, food, cash and other services that included counselling, legal aid and even demining.


“However, for another entire year, we were prevented from helping people in areas occupied by Russia, where humanitarian needs are direst and the response extremely limited, ” regretted Ms Brown, adding that efforts will continue despite the repeated denial by Russian authorities.


The humanitarian response in Ukraine was possible thanks to the strong financial support from the international community and the efforts of almost 600 humanitarian organizations and their staff and volunteers across the country who are working to overcome tremendous challenges to reach people in need.


“The close coordination with the authorities was also crucial and enabled our work, ” added Denise Brown, who also noted that amongst other challenges, indiscriminate attacks destroyed over 55 aid facilities, killing at least 11 aid workers and injuring 35 injuring in the line of duty in Ukraine in 2023.


Throughout the year, humanitarian organizations provided vital health services and supplies for 7.6 million people; water, sanitation and hygiene services for 6.8 million; food and livelihood support for 4.1 million; cash assistance for 3.9 million; materials for emergency repairs and critical household items, including winter supplies, for 4 million people; and support to continue education for 2.5 million children and teachers.


Aid organizations also provided critical child protection services for 3 million children and care givers and other protection services — counselling, legal aid and awareness programmes – to about 2.2 million. Nearly 1.6 million people were reached with services to prevent gender-based violence and assist survivors, while mine action efforts reached 1.2 million people, mostly through mine awareness and risk education activities.


The UN and partners will continue efforts to ensure the people of Ukraine will receive the same level of support in 2024


Source: UNOCHA

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Braving winter and air strikes to help people in need


As Ukraine endures yet another harsh winter amid a new wave of attacks, humanitarian workers are tirelessly supporting the people most affected, especially in the cities, villages and towns of the country’s eastern and southern regions. Their efforts have been vital in reducing people’s suffering since the war escalated in February 2022.


Russia escalated its aerial attacks on 29 December 2023. Since then, nearly 3,000 Ukrainian families, including people living in cities close to the front line, have seen their homes damaged or destroyed. Millions of people have no electricity, water or heating due to targeted attacks on infrastructure. And the war's impact on Ukraine's economy has led to reduced incomes, exacerbating families’ struggle to afford daily essentials.


With determination, resilience and hope, they are now striving to rebuild their lives. The Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), a national humanitarian partner, played a crucial role in restoring gas access to their village. Lidia and her husband can now live in their house with at least basic comforts as they try to return to normal life.


Liana Horovytska, Executive Director of CORE Response in Ukraine, said the organization provides comprehensive support to war-affected communities, and its goal is to create the conditions necessary to meet front-line residents’ basic needs. 


In Zaporizhzhya Oblast, CORE is providing fuel briquettes to heat 2,000 households in settlements near the front line during the winter. And in Kharkiv, it is replacing windows in houses damaged by constant missile strikes. 


Families like Vira’s received vital assistance from Joint Emergency Response Ukraine (JERU) and the Ukrainian non-governmental organization We are brothers. We are Ukrainians. They provided a stove and firewood, which brought hope, warmth and a lifeline in a time of great need.


Since March 2022, JERU has provided winter assistance to more than 32,000 Ukrainians in remote areas of Kharkivska, Mykolaivska, Sumska and Zaporizka Oblasts, and to those people forced to leave their homes and settle in the relatively safe areas of Dnipropetrovska, Khmelnytska, Poltavska and Ternopilska Oblasts. 


A community organized relief effort supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund restored gas services to Lidia's house which was damaged by shelling. Photo: CORE/Jaya Vadlamudi

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Thousands of families near the frontline receive heating materials to protect against harsh winter conditions

Thousands of families living in frontline areas are exposed to freezing temperatures, especially given that vital utilities such as water and electricity have been hard-hit by ongoing hostilities.

The ICRC supported some 28,200 people (10,600 families) with cash, briquettes, firewood, or other essential items like stoves to help them keep warm this winter. The ICRC provided 5,147 tons of solid fuel to frontline and hard-to-reach areas, while quick-fix materials were distributed to help maintain family homes seriously damaged by ongoing hostilities. Earlier in 2023, more than 353,000 people in conflict-affected areas across the country were supported with cash to cover their varying needs.

Ahead of winter, the ICRC stepped up its response to support district heating companies, power plants and electrical infrastructure serving around 1.6 million people in affected areas. The support consisted of providing transformers, generators and undergoing repair work to public utility companies.

"The ICRC is one of few humanitarian actors able to assist communities in hard-to-reach areas, but this is not enough," Mr. Eglin said. "The protections conveyed by international humanitarian law (IHL) to civilians and civilian infrastructure they rely on – including electricity, water and heating infrastructure – must be respected at all times."

Source: ICRC

STATUS OF THE CONFLICT

(as of 29 January 2024)

The High Price of Losing Ukraine: Part 2 — The Military Threat and Beyond

Below is an excerpt from a lengthy analysis of the war undertaken by the Institute of the Study of War and just recently released.  It is highly recommended to read the entire study – Part 1 and Part 2 (the links are provided).  

The brief excerpts are key messages in the study to provide some insights about the full study.


CONCLUSION

A Russian victory in Ukraine would create a world fundamentally antithetical to US interests and values with an empowered anti-Western coalition. US deterrence power and geopolitical standing will diminish. The cost of protecting the homeland and operating globally will rise, as will the number of national security issues the United States will have to tackle. More states and groups will challenge America at home and abroad. Latent adversarial intent is more likely to transform into action — which is how we got here in the first place, when Russia perceived the West to be weak.

The asymmetry goes both ways: Ukraine is the lynchpin on which the future of Russia’s power hinges. Russia’s ability to reconstitute; to maintain and increase its control and influence over its neighbors; the power of the Kremlin’s global narratives and ability to manipulate US will and perceptions; and the strength of Russia’s coalitions, including with US adversaries, all depend on whether Russia wins or loses in Ukraine. Helping Ukraine win would not only prevent Russia from erasing an independent nation and save the Ukrainian people from Russian atrocities and murder but would also land an asymmetric blow to the Russian threat and the anti-US coalition.

As long as Ukraine remains committed to defending itself against Russia’s aggression, the best course of action for the United States is to commit to the path of helping Ukraine win.

Source: ISW THE HIGH PRICE OF LOSING UKRAINE:

Part 1

Part 2

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Vulnerabilities, Needs and Conflict Incidents in Frontline Settlements

This report prepared by REACH provides detailed analysis of the needs, vulnerabilities and conflict events at Raion level covering Frontline communities in Ukraine. This is based on data compiled from REACH’s Humanitarian Situation Monitoring (HSM) round 13, REACH’s: Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (Round 19) – October 2023, IOM’s Ukraine Conditions of Return Assessment Factsheet — Round 5 (September – October 2023). In addition, conflict event data in Ukraine from ACLED covering the months of September and October was sourced along with local and international press reports and two internal situational analysis reports from REACH.


 Its main aim is to provide a succinct profile of the impact of the conflict and subsequent humanitarian needs at a raion level and to give summaries at oblast level, so that comparisons can be quickly made.  The objective of the profiling of raions was to provide a summary of factors that may support or hamper operations in the individual raions. The raion profiles give an overview of the population composition, main safety and security concerns, level of needs, extent of ability of the settlement population to meet their own daily needs (vulnerable groups) and assess the most viable aid delivery mechanisms.


Profiles of five Oblasts are shown – Dinopoprevska, Kharkivska, Khersonska, Mykolaisvska, Sumska, Zaporizka.  The full report includes profiles of various raions.



Profiles of Sample Oblasts

1.   Dnipropetrovska  

Total Oblast Population 3,224,712 

Internally Displaced 471,781 14.6%

Returnees 249,098 7.7%

Non-displaced 2,503,833 77.6%

Main safety and security concerns: In general, there were not many safety and security concerns identified in the assessed areas. Threat of missile attacks was identified as a key concern in 20 out of 30 assessed settlements, followed by lack of bomb shelters (3) and exposure to armed violence and shelling 

Severity of needs: Of the assessed settlements in Dnipropetrovska Oblast, 11 have been ranked as having moderate needs, 4 as having high needs and 1 with severe needs. Overall, most people in assessed areas are still able to meet their basic needs, but the situation with living conditions requires attention/monitoring. However, the trend has been rather positive as 10 settlements have reported an improving situation. The main needs in the assessed areas are financial support (10), livelihood support/employment (6) and healthcare (7).

Preferred modality of assistance: Most preferred modalities of assistance are multipurpose cash assistance cited across 19 settlements, in-kind support 16 settlements and services (11). While there is no understanding of what the most reliable method for aid delivery in all settlements would be, key informants in 10 settlements listed road as the most reliable method for delivery of humanitarian assistance in the settlements.


2.   Kharkivska Oblast  

Total Oblast Population 1,795,640  

Internally Displaced 415,445 23.1%

Returnees 332,237   18.5%

Non-displaced 1,047,958 58.4%

Main safety and security concerns: The main safety and security concern in Kharkiv Oblast is the threat of missile attacks, which was prevalent in 26 out of 32 assessed settlements. Other highly prevalent concerns that, according to key informants, apply to at least 50% of the assessed settlements are presence of landmines/UXO (19), exposure to armed violence and shelling (20), lack of bomb shelters (18) and damaged or destroyed property (16) (HSM Rnd 13). 

Severity of needs: Of the 32 settlements (11) have moderate needs, 5 settlements have high needs, and 12 settlements have severe (5) or extreme (7) needs. Only 1 settlement has seen some improvement in regard to the level of needs, while 15 have experienced worsening over the past one month prior to the data collection. Thereby, the most prevalent needs are food (16), drinking water (15) and provision of medicines (15).

Preferred modality of assistance: The most preferred modality of assistance for the majority of the households in 25 out of the 32 assessed settlements is in-kind support, followed by multipurpose cash assistance that was cited across 17 assessed settlements. However, at the time of the data collection, key informants reported that 15 settlements may have been inaccessible for international humanitarian actors, while the most reliable method of aid delivery for another 8 settlements was by road.


3.   Khersonska Oblast

Total Oblast Population 298,369  

Internally Displaced 16,538 5.5%

Returnees 45,479 15.2%

Non-displaced 236,352 79.2%

Main safety and security concerns: Security issues remain prominent in the oblast with the city of Kherson coming under regular attacks. The oblast is also contaminated by land mines, leading to security threats for both the civilians and the humanitarian actors. Exposure to armed violence and shelling, threat of missile attacks, lack of bomb shelters and damaged or destroyed property were the main concerns cited by various settlements in the area. In the areas assessed in Khersonska Oblast the most prevalent safety and security concerns among the people are threat of missile attacks (11), exposure to armed violence and shelling (10) and presence of landmines/UXO (8) (HSM Rnd 13). 

Severity of needs: Overall the level of needs in the areas assessed in Khersonska Oblast are moderate with 12 settlements where most people are still able to meet their basic needs, but the situation with living conditions requires attention/monitoring. In 4 settlements the key informants assessed not having any needs or only limited needs. The level of needs has not changed much in the past one month, except in 2 settlements where the situation has worsened. Thereby the most common needs are repair of accommodation (12) and fuel for heating (9).

Preferred modality of assistance: The most preferred modality of assistance for the majority of households in assessed settlements is multipurpose cash assistance (16). Thereby, when asked which what the most reliable method for delivery of humanitarian assistance is, key informants from 5 settlements listed by road.


4.   Mykolaivska Oblast

Total Oblast Population 642,063 

Internally Displaced 92,063 15%

Returnees 93,526 15%

Non-displaced 457,399 71%

Main security and access concerns: The main safety and security concern in Mykolaivska is the threat of missile attacks that is further aggravated by the lack of bomb shelters. Generally, exposure to armed violence and shelling is a prevalent concern too with about 19% (119,347) of its population being within a 30 km of the frontline. Furthermore, some areas in Mykolaivska are contaminated by landmines. 

Severity of needs: While 8 assessed settlements have moderate needs, key informants from 2 settlements reported high needs. The remaining 9 settlements have limited or no need. The situation of needs has remained unchanged in most of the settlements (16), as 2 settlements have seen an improvement over the last one month prior to the survey. The situation has worsened only in 1 settlement. Some of the most commonly listed needs by the interviewed key informants are repair of inadequate/damaged housing (6), fuel for heating (6), food (4) and NFIs (4).

Preferred modality of assistance: The most preferred modality for assistance across 17 out of 19 assessed settlements in Mykolaivskyi is multipurpose cash assistance, followed by and in-kind assistance (12) and services (3). There is not much insight into the most reliable methods of aid delivery, except from 9 settlements where the most reliable method to deliver aid is by road.


5.   Sumska Oblast

Total Oblast Population 857,827 

Internally Displaced 76,252 8.9%

Returnees 99,128 11.7%

Non-displaced 682,447 79.6%

Main safety and security concerns: Attacks in Sumska Oblast restrict civilian and humanitarian movement and add protection threats. Despite a dozen attacks reported these past couple of months, the number of civilian casualties has remained low. No major problem of access was reported in this oblast. Overall, in the assessed areas 22 settlements reported the threat of missile attacks as the main safety and security concern for the people, followed by the exposure to armed violence and shelling (10) (HSM Rnd 13). 

Severity of needs: Majority of the settlements in the assessed areas have no or only limited needs, while about 1 settlement has a moderate level of needs which have mostly not changed over the past one month prior to the data collection in late September. Thereby the most prevalent needs are livelihood or employment support (10), food (7), fuel for heating (5), repair of damaged housing (6) and provision of medicine (5).

Preferred modality of assistance: Most preferred modality of assistance that is preferred by the majority of households in all assessed settlements is multipurpose cash assistance (36), followed by in-kind support across 17 settlements. Most areas are accessible by road, with the exception of 3 settlements where key informants listed that the most reliable method of aid delivery is by train.


6.   Zaporizka Oblast

Total Oblast Population 1,064,680

Internally Displaced 230,498 21.6%

Returnees 114,827 10.8%

Non-displaced 719,355 67.6%

Main safety and security concerns: Main safety and security concerns in the last 14 days prior to the survey in the 12 out of 20 assessed settlements was threat of missile attacks, followed by lack of bomb shelter (6), exposure to armed violence and shelling (5) and social tensions in the community (4) (HSM Rnd 13).

Severity of needs: Overall, 5 out of the 20 assessed settlements have high needs, and 4 settlements moderate needs, while the remaining have limited or no needs, according to interviewed key informants from these settlements. Almost half (9) of all the assessed settlements have seen some improvements in the level of needs, while key informants from 5 settlement reported worsening of the situation compared to one month prior to the survey. Thereby the main needs are financial resources (cited across 8 settlements) and provision of medicine (in 4 settlements).

Preferred modality of assistance: The main preferred modality of assistance for the majority of households in 16 settlements is in-kind assistance. Key informants from 13 also reported multipurpose cash assistance. There was no insight from interviewed key informants regarding most reliable ways of aid delivery.

Sources: DFSIMP,  ACT Initiatives

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EU readies more Russia sanctions ahead of Ukraine war anniversary

This article was released prior to the EU decision to provide 50 billion aid to Ukraine.

The EU is readying more sanctions against Russia and financial support for Kyiv ahead of the second anniversary of the war, in a bid to revitalise waning levels of western assistance to Ukraine. The package includes a 13th set of restrictions on businesses and individuals connected to the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as well as a long-delayed agreement on €50bn for Kyiv over the next four years, some of which could be paid out as soon as a deal is struck, according to people familiar with the preparations. Another €5bn in military assistance per year and a decision to set aside profits arising from Russia’s frozen assets are also part of the overall set of support measures.

The war-torn country urgently needs help to stay afloat, and with US support being thrown into doubt, the EU is its principal lifeline. The commission wants to ensure that Kyiv can balance its budget without resorting to printing cash, which would drive up inflation. The rest of the money will be disbursed in tranches over four years as Ukraine ticks off reforms linked to its bid to join the bloc.

Negotiations are also continuing on overhauling the so-called European Peace Facility, a fund that has financed weapons supplies for Ukraine, people involved in the talks said. The negotiations are focused particularly on “gradually phasing out” reimbursements to capitals for the armaments they sent to Ukraine, and replace them with payments for joint production of weapons instead. Countries with large arms industries, such as Germany, want that phaseout to happen faster than those without.

Source: Financial Times

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UN top court can rule on Ukraine case against Russia

The UN's top court has said it has jurisdiction to hear a case brought against Russia by Ukraine.

Kyiv brought the case at The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ), days after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Kyiv accuses Moscow of falsely using genocide law to justify its brutal invasion which continues.

Russia says it intervened in Ukraine to prevent a genocidal attack on ethnic Russians in the eastern Donbas region.

While the case centres on the 1948 Genocide Convention, Kyiv does not accuse Moscow of committing genocide in Ukraine.  Instead, it says Russia violated the genocide treaty by resorting to it to justifying the invasion.

Ukraine maintains there was no risk of genocide in the east of the country, where it had been fighting Russian-backed forces since 2014. It adds that the genocide treaty does not, in any case, permit an invasion to stop an alleged genocide.

Moscow argues Ukraine is using the case as a roundabout way to get a ruling on the overall legality of Russia's military action and has asked for it to be thrown out.

A record 32 states have filed submissions on the issue.

More than two dozen European states, as well as Australia and Canada, have backed Kyiv by giving formal statements to the ICJ.

On Friday, judges said the ICJ had jurisdiction to rule on Ukraine's request for the court to declare that Kyiv has not committed genocide.

However, judges will not rule on whether Russia's invasion or recognition of the independence of areas in eastern Ukraine amount to a violation of the Genocide Convention as those claims fall under different international laws.

The ruling is an important procedural step, which means the case continues.

The 1948 UN Genocide Convention defined genocide as crimes committed "with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such".

ICJ rulings are legally binding but cannot be enforced by the court itself.

Source: BBC

UPDATES ON INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

EU leaders greenlight €50 billion in financial support for Ukraine

On 1 February 2024, the European Council agreed to set up the Ukraine facility for the years 2024-2027 to provide stable and predictable financing to Ukraine. It is a new EU instrument to help the country in its recovery, reconstruction and modernisation on its path towards EU accession.

Of the total €50 billion available, €33 billion would be in loans, and €17 billion in grants (under a new thematic instrument, known as the Ukraine reserve).

To ensure Ukraine’s ownership of its recovery and reconstruction, the Ukrainian government would need to prepare a plan that sets out a reform and investment agenda. To obtain the funding, Ukraine must also uphold and respect:

Once the Council's and Parliament's negotiators reach an agreement on the facility, the regulation will need to be formally adopted by the two institutions.

Source: European Council

Ukraine support package worth €50bn agreed by EU leaders

All 27 EU leaders have agreed to a €50bn (£42bn; $54bn) aid package for Ukraine, after Hungary stopped blocking the deal.   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the new funding, saying it would strengthen the country's economic and financial stability.

Ukraine's economic ministry said it expects the first tranche in March.

There had been fears Hungary's PM would again block the package as he did at a European summit in December.

Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in the EU, had said he wanted to force a rethink of the bloc's policy towards Ukraine and questioned the idea of committing funds for Kyiv for the next four years.  The new funding promise comes as aid from the US - the largest provider of military support for Kyiv - is being held up by Congress.

"I think it will be an encouragement for the United States also to do their fair share," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

The agreement was announced less than two hours after the summit started, surprising many observers who had expected talks to go on much longer due to the depth of disagreement between Mr Orban and the other EU leaders.

On the streets of Kyiv, people welcomed the news. "It's great. All this support, money, ammunition, humanitarian help are all important for our country, and we thank all the world for supporting us," one man told the BBC.

However, this EU funding package is not for the frontline - it's for life in the rear. War is an expensive endeavour, and budget revenue in Ukraine is being swallowed up funding the fighting. But the Ukrainian government still needs to pay for pensions, state salaries - down to keeping the lights on.

There were warnings such payments could be delayed, had the EU not approved the aid. Keeping life for its citizens running as smoothly as possible is vital for the government to maintain domestic support for the war effort, even as Ukraine pushes for continuing backing from its allies abroad. The new deal includes a yearly discussion of the funding package and the option to review it in two years, "if needed" - and only at the Council's discretion.

Mr Orban had been pushing for a yearly vote on the package, which could have left the deal exposed to an annual veto threat from Hungary. Under the agreement, one precondition for the support for Ukraine is that it upholds the "rights of persons belonging to minorities" - a possible reference to Mr Orban's longstanding concern about the ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine.

Artillery for Ukraine was also discussed at the summit. Earlier this week, the EU acknowledged that it would only be able to deliver 52% of the one million ammunition rounds it had promised to send by March. Today, European Council President Charles Michel said the EU is determined to make sure Ukraine gets the equipment it needs to defend "their country and their future".

In a video address to European leaders, President Zelensky said the EU had "proven that its word matters, and its promises work for the interests of entire Europe".  It referred to the fact that US aid is being blocked up by Congress, saying that today's announcement would send a "signal across the Atlantic... that the international rules-based world order will withstand all challenges."

"Europe sets the tone for global affairs - with its unity," Mr Zelensky added.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who had been highly critical of what he called Mr Orban's "strange and egotistic game," posted on X: "Viktor Orban could be 'persuaded'... Let's move on."

The EU had been withholding €20bn of funds for Hungary because of concerns about human rights and corruption in the country.

Today's announcement of a new aid package comes after European leaders agreed to open EU membership talks with Ukraine in December - a decision hailed at the time as "a victory" for his country.

Source: BBC

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EU sent €28B worth of military aid to Ukraine, document shows

Internal analysis confirms the bloc will miss its target of sending 1 million shells to Ukraine by March. 

The European Union has sent €28 billion worth of military aid to Kyiv so far and committed about €21.2 billion more for this year, according to an internal document prepared by the European Commission and the EU diplomatic body.

“This [€28 billion] figure is expected to increase in the coming period, as concrete deliveries will be further confirmed,” the document reads. The numbers reflect contributions from European capitals and through channels centrally organized by Brussels.

The document stresses that the €21.2 billion figure for this year is a “preliminary" estimate based on details shared by a "limited number” of  EU countries.  

As the latest U.S. aid package for Ukraine is blocked in the Congress, the burden to help Kyiv fend off Russia’s invasion is increasingly falling on Europe. In an op-ed published Wednesday, leaders from five EU countries — Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Estonia and Denmark — called on Europe to commit to long-term support for Ukraine. 

What is increasingly obvious, however, is that the EU won’t be able to send 1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine by March, as promised. 

According to the document, prepared for an informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels on Wednesday,  the EU will miss its target, but the bloc is expected to exceed it and send 1.1 million shells by the end of the year. By late last year, EU countries had delivered around 330,000 ammunition rounds. 

Ammunition production has also massively increased. 

“Based on feedback from the European defence industry, the 155mm European production capacity has already increased by more than 40 percent since the beginning of the war,” the document reads, adding that European companies will be able to produce one million shells a year by spring and 1.4 million shells a year by end of the year. 

By mid-February, the EU Military Assistance Mission will have trained 40,500 Ukrainian soldiers. 

Source: Politico

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IOM, EU Senior Officials in Brussels for Tenth Strategic Cooperation Meeting on Migration

Senior Officials from the European Union (EU) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) met in Brussels today for their tenth annual meeting under the EU-IOM strategic cooperation framework.

IOM Director General Amy Pope endorsed the long-standing dialogue between the EU and IOM as a model of multilateral cooperation on human mobility.

The ongoing war in Ukraine, de-stabilizing crises and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, the pervasive effects of climate change, and political agreement on the New EU Pact on Migration and Asylum formed the backdrop of the high-level exchange.

In this context, Director General Pope emphasised the importance of approaching migration as a means to unlock human potential through partnerships and initiatives that can enrich our societies. “We often say there are no quick, easy solutions to managing migration better, but nothing moves forward without cooperation,” said Pope. “In partnership with the EU, we are committed to working comprehensively and globally to leverage the opportunities and promise of safe, orderly migration at a time when the world needs it most.”

Gert Jan Koopman, Director General for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, emphasised the need to work with a comprehensive, holistic approach founded on mutually beneficial objectives and clear deliverables.

“Our efforts across various aspects of migration are closely aligned with our endeavours in additional policy domains such as trade and investment and the rule of law. The International Organization for Migration is an important partner in our endeavours and for the implementation of sustainable solutions for the forthcoming challenges,”said DG Koopman.

Discussions at today’s meeting focused on events impacting stability and mobility in the EU’s neighbourhood and globally, key migration policy developments, new initiatives to promote legal migration pathways, return, reintegration and migrant protection, and the challenges for migration and displacement, particularly in Africa.

The EU highlighted the key role IOM has as a humanitarian and implementing partner of EU migration policy supporting the EU in its comprehensive approach to migration and displacement issues, and delivering in various policy and operational areas, from emergency assistance, humanitarian aid and protection, to border management, fight against smuggling as well as in the field of return and reintegration.

The EU currently has over 80 short and longer-term projects implemented through IOM across all countries and regions, for an overall amount of over EUR 1 billion. Together with its Member States, the EU represents IOM’s biggest donor.

The EU-IOM meeting was hosted by the Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) on behalf of the EU. Joining IOM Director-General Amy Pope and senior IOM officials were senior representatives from the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO), the European External Action Service (EEAS), the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), and the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA).   

Source: IOM

HOLY FATHER ON UKRAINE

Angelus - February 4, 2024 (Sunday)

And let us continue to pray for the populations who suffer as a result of war, especially in Ukraine, Palestine and Israel.

E continuiamo a pregare per le popolazioni che soffrono per la guerra, specialmente in Ucraina, in Palestina e in Israele.

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General Audience - January 31, 2024

Domani, in Italia, si celebra la Giornata Nazionale Vittime Civili di Guerra. Al ricordo orante per quanti sono deceduti nei due conflitti mondiali, associamo anche i tanti – troppi – civili, vittime inermi delle guerre che purtroppo insanguinano ancora il nostro pianeta, come accade in Medio Oriente e in Ucraina. Il loro grido di dolore possa toccare i cuori dei responsabili delle Nazioni e suscitare progetti di pace. Quando si leggono storie di questi giorni, nella guerra, c’è tanta crudeltà, tanta! Chiediamo al Signore la pace, che è sempre mite, non è crudele.

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MEMBER REPORTS

Depaul International

MEMBER PHOTOS

ICMC mobilized mental health care professionals in Ukraine in unprecedented ways to address the emotional wounds caused by the horrific experiences of those fleeing the areas of active fighting and bombings. Subsidized and free psychological counseling which has been provided to anyone in need has proven to be of critical importance to keep the nation from falling into despair of loss and suffering. (Courtesy of ICMC)