Solidarity with Ukraine

The EU and its international partners are united in condemning Putin's aggression on Ukraine and providing support to those seeking shelter and fleeing war. On 4 March 2022, the EU activated the temporary protection directive. The objective is to alleviate pressure on national asylum systems and to allow displaced persons to enjoy harmonised rights across the EU. These rights include: residence,access to the labour market and housing,medical assistance, social welfare assistance,access to education for children. The EU has allocated €348 million in humanitarian assistance to help civilians affected by the war in Ukraine. This includes €335 million for Ukraine and €13 million for Moldova. 

At the European Council of 24-25 March 2022, EU leaders stressed that the EU is committed to providing support to the Ukrainian government for its immediate needs and for the reconstruction of a democratic Ukraine, once the Russian onslaught has ended. To that end, EU leaders agreed to set up a Ukraine Solidarity Trust Fund and called for preparations to start without delay.

The European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was in Kyiv on April 1 to express the European Union´s support to the Ukrainian people and to condemn the unjustified Russian attack. She travelled on the invitation of the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada), Ruslan Stefanchuk. Stefanchuk spoke to the MEPs during the June plenary in Strasbourg. On 5 september, Ukraine´s Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, met EP President Roberta Metsola and political groups at the EP to discuss the latest developments in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as the EU´s support for Ukraine