On Tuesday morning 112 German trucks crossed the border from Poland, entering Ukraine at Yahodyn. They were carrying about 746 tonnes of aid supplies from Germany. As winter approaches, these supplies are intended to alleviate the suffering of many people, especially in eastern Ukraine. They are destined for the east Ukrainian towns of Kharkiv, Slavyansk, Mariupol, Zaporozhye and Dniprpetrovsk.

Coordinated aid

There were in-depth prior consultations with the Ukrainian side to ascertain how Germany can best help, which supplies are most urgently needed before winter comes, and what can be procured locally. During her visit to Kyiv on 23 August, Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed that, "In the current difficult humanitarian situation, one priority is to help provide shelter for those people who have been forced to leave their homes; this aid will total 25 million euros."

In close consultation with Ukrainian authorities, the first mobile accommodation units, mobile kitchens and generators were then dispatched, along with hot water tanks, water and diesel tanks, hygiene kits, camp beds, medical equipment and other consumables.

Helping internally displaced persons

The goods from Germany will first be brought to a logistics centre close to Kyiv, where they will be sorted, and repacked with locally procured goods for their final destinations. In Ukraine, additional household goods have been purchased: beds, tables, cupboards, winter clothing, mattresses, quilts and household appliances – goods worth a total of 2.7 million euros. All in all, this aid convoy is worth about 10 million euros.

The primary goal of the German government is to alleviate the suffering that has been provoked primarily by the violence of the separatists. Many people have been forced to leave their homes. Over the next few weeks, more mobile housing units will be delivered, providing shelter for a total of 4,000 internally displaced persons.

A joint effort

The aid transport has been organised by the GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Development Ministry (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office. Support has come from the German Red Cross and the Federal Agency for Technical Relief. The goods are to be distributed in Ukraine by a number of bodies including the Ukrainian Red Cross. Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller summed up the concerns of all those involved, "We want to signal our solidarity. The people in Ukraine can count on us as partners. We want to help ensure that the many Ukrainian families currently suffering have access to winter-proof infrastructure."

In addition to transporting aid supplies, the BMZ will continue its close cooperation with Ukraine. Over and above the sums already pledged for development cooperation, totalling 25.5 million euros for 2014, another 45 million euros have been provided for infrastructure and reconstruction and 6 million euros for humanitarian aid since the start of the crisis in Ukraine. The BMZ has been working at decentralised level with Ukraine for over 20 years. German support has already helped renovate hospitals, schools and sports facilities, as well as promoting industry and supporting the country’s health system.

Translating the Minsk Protocol into practice

On Monday evening Chancellor Angela Merkel again spoke by telephone with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. He thanked the Chancellor for the aid supplies, but the main focus of their conversation was the implementation of the ceasefire agreed in Minsk in September with Russia.

The President reported on continuing attacks by separatists, targeting in particular Donetsk Airport. It is important, he said, that the agreements reached in Minsk be implemented in full. In addition to the ceasefire this includes holding local elections in line with Ukrainian law in the areas currently occupied by separatists.

Petro Poroshenko called for Russia to exert its influence over the separatists to a significantly greater extent to help stabilise the situation. He welcomed Germany’s efforts to provide drones jointly with France in order to monitor compliance with the ceasefire.