The EU has imposed sanctions

The European Union, together with its international partners, has imposed massive sanctions on Russia. In particular, these aim to severely weaken the Russian economy and the political elite. The sanctions are already having an effect. These are the areas affected:

• Financial sector
• Energy sector
• Transport sector
• Industrial sector
• Granting of visas
• Individual restrictions on persons and institutions

For further information on the sanctions imposed on Russia, see the Council of the EU and the European Council website: EU sanctions imposed on Russia.

The EU finances arms supplies

The EU finances the supply of weapons and equipment to the Ukrainian armed forces: around 27 billion euros has been provided in additional military aid for Ukraine under the European Peace Facility and also bilaterally by individual member states. These funds have been used to finance items such as armoured vehicles, tanks, heavy artillery and ammunition. Here you can find out more about German military aid here and get an overview of the equipment and weapons supplied by Germany. 

EU launches training mission

In the Foreign Affairs Council, the EU member states agreed to launch the Military Assistance Mission in support of the Ukrainian armed forces (EUMAM Ukraine). Ukraine has made it clear that it still requires considerable support in training its armed forces to defend the country against Russia. EUMAM will initially last for 24 months and is open to participation by third countries. Ukrainian soldiers are trained exclusively on the territory of EU member states.

The EU has approved fast, uncomplicated admission of war refugees

The EU interior ministers unanimously adopted the Directive on the temporary protection of war refugees on 4 March 2022 and extended it on 19 October 2023. This protected status grants the following benefits:

• Residence rights for up to three years, no asylum procedure required
• Access to the labour market in accordance with the labour market policies of the member states
• Access to housing
• Social benefits
• Medical assistance and other forms of support
• Schooling for children and young people

See the European Commission website for full details of implementation of the Temporary Protection Directive.

On 27 April 2022, the EU Commission approved more than 3.5 billion euros in advance financing to member states to help them provide for Ukrainian war refugees. Payments for the Cohesion Action for Refugees in Europe (REACT-EU) were made under the Cohesion Action for Refugees in Europe/CARE initiative. In addition, the 2021-2027 Home Affairs Fund will provide substantial resources to member states to ensure adequate reception facilities and effective asylum procedures for Ukrainian refugees.

The EU is providing support for border management

The EU Commission is making every effort to take specific operational action to ensure efficiency and security in border management. In addition, EU agencies support member states with staff and expertise to reduce waiting times and maintain a high level of security.

The EU is supporting EU countries’ admission capacity 

By means of various extensive measures, the EU is supporting member states in receiving war refugees. For example:

• The EU Commission has created a solidarity platform through which member states can exchange information on reception capacity.
• Various EU websites provide information for war refugees from Ukraine, e.g. on issues such as admission procedures, social benefits, etc.
• EU member states can also receive significant additional funding from EU funds for the period 2021 to 2027 so as to ensure adequate reception facilities.
• The EU has also supported Ukraine financially in the past.

The EU is providing humanitarian aid

In order to address the tragic humanitarian consequences of this war, the EU has already provided 785 million euros to fund aid programmes in Ukraine to be implemented by humanitarian partners on the ground, 300 million euros of which are to be provided in 2023.

These funds will finance a wide range of aid, including food, water, essential household items, healthcare, psychosocial support, emergency shelter, protection and cash assistance to meet basic needs.

In addition, 97,000 tonnes of in-kind contributions at an estimated value of over 796 million euros have been delivered to Ukraine by EU member states and partners through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, including shelters, energy and medical equipment.

Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, the EU, its member states and its financial institutions have acted as “Team Europe”, providing Ukraine with a total of over 40.6 billion euros in financial, humanitarian, emergency and budget aid with the aim of ensuring that Ukraine is economically, socially and financially less crisis-prone. This includes a financial aid package worth around 18 billion euros for 2023.

The global fundraising campaign Stand Up for Ukraine co-organised by the EU raised a total of 9.1 billion euros to support war refugees in Ukraine and other countries. The European Commission provides information here on how you too can donate now to help the people in Ukraine.

In the past, the EU has provided Ukraine with extensive financial support in the form of affordable loans and subsidies. Since 2014, the EU and European financial institutions have provided over 17 billion euros in subsidies and loans to Ukraine.

The following were also provided during the period 2014 to 2021:

• 350 million euros in humanitarian aid provided by EU member states,
• over one billion euros in EU emergency aid and early recovery assistance, and
• 193 million euros in humanitarian aid provided by the EU Commission.

The EU is committed to the reconstruction of Ukraine

The EU is committed to effective instruments for the sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine. The war has already destroyed a lot of infrastructure in Ukraine, including schools, hospitals, power stations, railway stations and a third of the energy infrastructure.

The Donor Coordination Platform was established with the assistance of the international community on 26 January 2023 to coordinate the reconstruction process in Ukraine. It enables international donors and financial institutions to coordinate closely so that support is provided in a coherent, transparent and verifiable manner.

The Platform for the Reconstruction of Ukraine enables local authorities and companies in Germany, as well as academia and civil society, to obtain specific information about reconstruction in Ukraine, get involved and network with each other. 

Ukraine’s accession to the EU
The European Council, on which the heads of state and government of all 27 EU member states are represented, decided at its meeting on 14 and 15 December 2023 that EU accession negotiations with Ukraine – and Moldova – can begin soon. This sends out a crucial signal that the future of these countries and their citizens lies in the European Union.

The EU has activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism

The EU Commission is coordinating the medical supplies and civil protection resources provided by EU member states.

In concrete terms, this means that those in need in Ukraine and in the neighbouring countries of Poland, Slovakia and Moldova are being provided with millions of aid items including vehicles, medical equipment, tents, blankets and sleeping bags.

One key source of these aid supplies is the stocks of rescEU – an emergency stockpile of relief items set up by the EU. For more information about EU civil protection, see the European Council website.

What is the EU Civil Protection Mechanism?
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is a European Union agreement that regulates enhanced collaboration between member states in the event of disasters. The most comprehensive activation of this procedure to date is currently underway in response to the war of aggression on Ukraine.