European Commission announces new shipments of winterization aid for Ukraine

BRUSSELS. Nov 17 (Interfax) - The European Commission announced on Thursday it would send more energy equipment and emergency aid items to Ukraine.

"The key priority of our humanitarian operations today is to scale up winterization assistance. The EU is working around the clock to help sustain the electricity supply in Ukraine. Via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, we are delivering power generators and vital energy equipment to Ukraine," a communique published in Brussels quoted European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic as saying.

In November, "the Commission is coordinating a new aid delivery of over 1,800 tonnes in emergency assistance this month, including in the area of energy," the document says.

This shipment should bring the total material aid channeled to Ukraine to 74,000 tonnes worth over 450 million euros coming on top of the 523 million euros in financial humanitarian assistance already provided, it said.

The last assistance package has been provided by Belgium, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Slovakia, and Sweden and includes energy supplies, shelter items, first aid kits, protective clothing, firefighting equipment, water trucks and buses, it said.