United Nations in Ukraine

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Ukraine:

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Speech

15 February 2022

Secretary-General's remarks to the Press Stakeout - on Ukraine

Good afternoon. I am deeply worried by the heightened tensions and increased speculation about a potential military conflict in Europe. The price in human suffering, destruction and damage to European and global security is too high to contemplate. We simply cannot accept even the possibility of such a disastrous confrontation. I will remain fully engaged in the hours and days to come. I just spoke this morning with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and of Ukraine. My message is clear: There is no alternative to diplomacy. All issues – including the most intractable – can and must be addressed and resolved through diplomatic frameworks. It is my firm belief that this principle will prevail. The United Nations Country Team remains fully operational in Ukraine. As United Nations Secretary-General, it is my duty to appeal for the full respect of the United Nations Charter, a fundamental pillar of international law. The Charter clearly says, and I quote: “All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.” “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.” The time is now to defuse tensions and de-escalate actions on the ground. There is no place for incendiary rhetoric. Public statements should aim to reduce tensions, not inflame them. I welcome the recent flurry of diplomatic contacts and engagements, including between Heads of State. But more needs to be done, and I expect all to intensify their efforts. I have made my good offices available and we will leave no stone unturned in the search for a peaceful solution. Abandoning diplomacy for confrontation is not a step over a line, it is a dive over a cliff. In short, my appeal is this: Do not fail the cause of peace. Thank you.

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Press Release

11 February 2022

Joint UN mission visits humanitarian-development nexus projects in eastern Ukraine

Osnat Lubrani, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, joined Dafina Gercheva, UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine, and Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR Representative in Ukraine on a visit to eastern Ukraine 9-11 February 2022. This joint mission focused on humanitarian-development nexus projects, jointly implemented by UNDP and UNHCR. The nexus approach aims to address critical humanitarian and protection needs in a way which is sustainable and simultaneously strengthens local systems and accountabilities, by fostering links and synergies between humanitarian and development actions, in close collaboration with local authorities and local communities. The visited sites constitute strong examples of how this approach can provide sustainable solutions for internally displaced and conflict-affected persons. The projects were designed in close consultation with the local population, in partnership with the private sector, and local and regional authorities. Budget allocations have been secured from authorities to ensure that the interventions remain sustainable and anchor local ownership. The projects were made possible by the generous contributions of the European Union. Other important partners include Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. In Popasna, Luhansk Oblast, on 9 February, Lubrani, Gercheva and Lindholm Billing attended the opening ceremony of the renovated ‘Leleka’ rehabilitation center for children with disabilities. At the opening ceremony, Lubrani said that the center would ease access to persons with disabilities to much needed facilities and services as well as build their skills and their confidence. “Meeting the children and the dedicated staff and volunteers, it is rewarding to realize how this center is contributing to full inclusion of people with disabilities in society.” Lubrani said. Also in Popasna, the mission visited the University of the Third Age, which encourages life-long learning, and boarded Mobile Social Services centers. These roaming vehicles provide medical and sanitary services, but also legal advice, socio-psychological assistance and gardening help, to name a few. On 10 February, Lubrani, Gercheva and Lindholm Billing visited a Multifunctional Creative Space for Youth Development, in Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast. The creative space allows children, primarily from socioeconomically vulnerable families, to develop their creative talents in a safe space. Moving on to Niu York in Donetsk Oblast, the mission visited the town’s Cultural Hub – a platform for community initiatives, dialogue, and concerts. Local youth proudly explained that after 70 years of being called Novhorodske, the town regained its original name in 2021. The center also serves as space for an impressive exhibition of photo portraits celebrating women leaders and activists in the community. The next day, the mission continued to the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. There, it visited the Territorial Center for Social Services, which offers psychosocial support, leisure and personal development for older persons who have been greatly impacted by the conflict, including through family separation and trauma. Also in Avdiivka, children attending the “Renaissance – Music School of the Future” held a moving concert for the visitors. Currently 22 teachers teach music instruments and theory, including Ukrainian music history, to some 180 students. Afterwards, Lubrani and Lindholm Billing attended the opening of a new traumatology unit at the central hospital of Avdiivka. This improvement will expand access to health care for many Ukrainians on both sides of the contact line. Lindholm Billing, said that there are still critical humanitarian needs due to the protracted conflict, but highlighted the importance of – wherever possible – addressing these in a way which simultaneously builds the capacity of local communities and authorities to protect the rights and dignity of the population in the future: “UNHCR, as a humanitarian organization with a protection and solutions mandate, provides different types of support and assistance to help individuals or communities in a particularly vulnerable situation address an immediate need, such as psychosocial support, and strives to work in partnership with development organizations, such as UNDP, to link our programs to their projects aimed at developing local systems and structures. In this way, immediate needs are met, while local systems are developed to address the same or similar needs of other people in the future. The people whose needs our programs are seeking to help, and the local authorities are key actors and partners in this community-based ‘Humanitarian-Development Nexus’ approach.” At the same time, Gercheva attended the opening of the local court, which had stopped operating after the beginning of the conflict in 2014. New computers and videoconferencing equipment will enable the court to resume hearings right away, thus facilitating access to justice for all Ukrainians. Gercheva said that all people must have unhindered access to justice – especially those who live in the conflict-affected areas across eastern Ukraine. “The armed conflict and ongoing pandemic have created additional challenges for justice and rule of law by limiting access to courts, and hindering the movement of people who try to cross the ‘contact line’ seeking protection,” she said. “Despite the many obstacles and formidable challenges, UNDP and its partners will continue to make every effort to enhance the capacity of Ukraine's judiciary.” During the visit, the UN delegation also met with the heads of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast administrations, to discuss the ongoing partnership and to explore areas for strengthened future collaboration. The visit also provided an opportunity for Lubrani, Gercheva and Lindholm Billing to host townhall meetings to engage with UN staff, field questions and express strong appreciation for the work of all UN personnel serving in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The joint mission was a testament to the UN’s continued engagement for all Ukrainians, with focus on those most vulnerable. It highlighted the potential for further operationalization of the humanitarian-development nexus approach and underscored the UN’s commitment to helping Ukraine achieve the sustainable development goals and ensuring that nobody is left behind.

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Story

20 May 2022

Ukraine: Behind the numbers

- said the man who had just fled Kharkiv in the east of Ukraine. Nataliia* sat on the floor in the sport complex in Uzhhorod, in Ukraine’s west, listening to the man’s story, as well as many of the other internally displaced persons (IDPs) there. Nataliia is a human rights officer working with the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU). One of her key jobs now is to gather first-hand information on allegations of international human rights abuses and humanitarian law violations resulting from the armed attack of the Russian Federation on Ukraine. She talks to people on the ground, listens to their stories and documents what has happened to them or their loved ones. In the sports complex, she looked for information that can help to verify civilian casualty incidents that are happening across the country. “Some people I talk to have lost their relatives and friends,” she said. “Some lost literally everything in their lives and have no place to go.” “Though it is hard at times, I know that our work is needed — we are documenting truth about the events, so that people could have justice in the future,“ Nataliia*, human rights officer, Ukraine. Collecting accounts of victims and witnesses is just one facet of the monitoring work undertaken by HRMMU. But it is a vital piece – providing a trusted source of verified information on the human rights violations, including on civilian casualties that the Mission has been recording in Ukraine since 2014. Using data to “clarify what happened” To do this, human rights officers consult a broad range of sources. When possible, they will visit the place where an incident took place and interview victims and witnesses. If it is not possible to visit the location of an incident, the Mission relies on an extensive network of trusted contacts, and partners, gleaned over the eight years it has worked in Ukraine. Also, human rights officers travel to different locations to visit IDP centres, like Nataliia did in Uzhhorod. Data is also gathered through open sources. Monitoring staff will start the day by checking publicly available information — reports by local authorities, police, and emergency services. They also monitor photos, stories and video footage posted on social media and in media. All this data is carefully corroborated, said Olga*, a human rights officer. “I am looking into different kinds of data on each and every civilian casualty case to clarify what, when and with whom it happened,” she said, explaining how the monitoring and data gathering process works. “Just to give you one example: in the morning I see information that there was a civilian casualty in location A. I check all the available information on this case – videos, photos, official data, interviews etc. I also check more general data — what occurred in this location, what type of weapon was used” she said. “Then if needed, I can request our field teams to verify this information on the ground with the available sources, for example, visiting the location of the incident or talking to victims and witnesses,” Olga added. It’s only when all these checks are finished – showing that this civilian casualty happened, Olga and other human rights officers will consider the case verified. More than just numbers Since the beginning of the armed attack on Ukraine, the Mission has been publishing civilian casualty updates daily. As of 18 May, 3,811 people died and 4,278 were injured. For human rights officers these updates are more than just numbers. “One needs to realize that we are not working with figures — we are working with individual incidents. We try to get the information about an individual incident in which a man or woman, a boy or girl was killed or injured in a specific place, in a specific situation and from a specific weapon”, said Uladzimir Shcherbau, head of a unit of the Mission. “We keep collecting information on the cases which have been reported in previous days. It's like a mosaic — you are getting additional information, and ultimately have a full picture on what happened to civilians.” The civilian casualty numbers provided by HRMMU have become the go-to statistics for the Governments, the media, international agencies and others reporting on or monitoring the war in Ukraine. The verified information that HRMMU provides can apply pressure that may help to prevent further violations. It also can be used by different justice mechanisms to ensure justice for victims of human rights violations, as well as hold perpetrators to account, said Matilda Bogner, Head of Mission. “Our monitoring work is not easy as it requires a lot of patience and verification,” she said. “We need to ensure that we support victims and follow the do no harm principle. In the end, we are able to communicate what has happened, where there have been violations and how to take steps to remedy the situation and prevent further violations. The documentation that we do helps us to advocate for changes, justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.” *Some monitoring staff in Ukraine are not fully identified for security reasons.

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Story

18 May 2022

Food security in Ukraine: FAO distributes seed potatoes to vulnerable rural families

Kyiv/Rome – Working to safeguard the food security and livelihoods of vulnerable rural families in Ukraine, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has distributed seed potato kits to 17 740 households from across ten of the country’s oblasts so they can plant food in time for the next harvesting season. Some 46 000 people stand to benefit from the campaign which receives financial support from the European Union (EU) and the Central Emergency Response (CERF). “It's absolutely crucial right now to help farmers. The big ones but also the small ones, and those families involved in backyard farming,” said Pierre Vauthier, FAO Ukraine Designated Responsible Officer. “Agriculture is one of Ukraine’s major sectors and is important for the country’s food security. It is also a key source of income for the 12.6 million people who live in rural areas, who make up almost a third of the country’s population.” In total, 862 tonnes of seed potatoes have been delivered to those in need over the last weeks. Distribution was achieved in time for the spring potato sowing campaign to ensure that this nutritious food source can be harvested in September. Each family or household - consisting on average of 2.6 people - receives a kit with 50 kilograms of seed potatoes with an expected yield of about 600 kilograms of potatoes. These may be stored for many months for later consumption, used for the following planting seasons or sold to local markets. At each location, FAO has been working closely with local authorities and implementing partners, who assisted in the selection of beneficiaries, distribution, monitoring and engagement with communities. “Thanks to our cooperation with FAO, we have delivered 2.5 tonnes of potatoes to the Rudkivska Amalgamated Territorial Community in Lvivska oblast. This is for 50 households who host internally displaced persons,” said Ihor Vuitsyk, Head of the Board of Lviv Agrarian Chamber, FAO’s implementing partner. “It is important that an organization like FAO really helps people, and today it especially helps those who are engaged in production because one of the FAO's tasks is to ensure local food production”. Some 15 tonnes of seed potatoes have been delivered to 300 households in Lvivska oblast, west of Ukraine. Out of this, 30 kits have been distributed to the families in the village of Khlopchytsi in Rudkivska Amalgamated Territorial Community. This village is now hosting over 150 internally displaced people from other regions of Ukraine. Another oblast targeted by the seed potato distribution campaign is Dnipropetrovska in central and eastern Ukraine where 3 690 households have received the kits. Some of these were delivered to 41 villages in Verkhniodniprovska Amalgamated Territorial Community whose residents are hosting 2 685 internally displaced people. "Some companies closed, reduced staff or fired people. We cannot provide work to the local population. And we have to think about how to feed people this winter,” said Genadii Lebid, Head of Verkhniodniprovska Amalgamated Territorial Community, who noted that because of the disruptions and uncertainty caused by the conflict people are very eager to plant their gardens and have some food for their families. FAO’s work in Ukraine FAO has been operating in Ukraine since 2003 and following the start of the war, the Organization has developed and updated its Rapid Response Plan (RRP) to provide agricultural assistance and ensure food security to those most affected by the conflict. FAO’s response includes providing crop and livestock inputs along with cash to support the most affected smallholder farmers and livestock holders to meet seasonal deadlines. This support will enable households to produce vegetables, cereal crops, milk, meat and eggs to feed themselves. “In the coming weeks, FAO will reach 3 700 households (9 600 people) with multi-purpose cash transfers and over 14 600 rural families (38 000 people) with vegetable production kits to resume food production for consumption and sale,” added Pierre Vauthier. “We are also planning to distribute poultry and support vulnerable livestock keepers by providing animal feed and vitamin-mineral supplements. With more resources, we will be able to reach more people in vulnerable rural areas of Ukraine”. FAO is calling for $115.4 million in funding to provide support to 979 320 small farmers and medium-sized producers through December 2022 to boost food availability and access. To date, FAO has raised $11 million. The financial contributions have been provided by Australia, Belgium, the CERF Rapid Response, the EU, France, Japan, the Louis Dreyfus Foundation, Ukraine Humanitarian Fund and USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). Further contributions are urgently needed to reach more people to maintain the spring cropping season and support the harvest preparation. More information on data, analyses, policy recommendations, and FAO’s actions on the ground can be found here. _______ Contacts: Viktoriia Mykhalchuk
FAO Ukraine Communication Specialist
+38 098 605 5061
Viktoriia.Mykhalchuk@fao.org

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Story

09 May 2022

Local and global businesses contribute more than $1 billion to support humanitarian response in Ukraine

To document this unprecedented show of generosity and improve transparency about humanitarian funding flows, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has launched an interactive Ukraine Private Sector Donations Tracker, available online at bit.ly/Biz4UkraineTracker. “For many years, we have seen the private sector play an increasingly important role in responding to and recovering from humanitarian emergencies. However, the level of mobilization by companies around the world in support of the people of Ukraine is record-breaking. This new online tool will provide a clear overview of private donor contribution: how much is pledged, received and eventually also how the funding is spent,” said Osnat Lubrani, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine. The Ukraine Private Sector Donations Tracker was built by the OCHA/UNDP Connecting Business Initiative in partnership with OCHA’s Centre for Humanitarian Data and with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Users can explore contributions and commitments reported by more than 300 private sector donors and 100 humanitarian recipients. Users can also download the underlying data from OCHA’s Humanitarian Data Exchange to explore sources, business sectors, and more information about each transaction. “The generosity demonstrated by companies and corporate-linked foundations around the world toward people affected by the war in Ukraine is inspiring. Businesses have been a key partner in mobilizing emergency response, and we hope to see the same level of engagement for people caught in crises elsewhere, such as Afghanistan and Yemen,” said Kareem Elbayar, Programme Coordinator of the Connecting Business initiative. According to the latest data available, over US$ 1 billion of cash and in-kind contributions have been pledged since the start of the conflict in February 2022. This includes contributions to support the Ukraine Flash Appeal and Regional Refugee Response Plan as well as direct donations to UN agencies, Red Cross societies, and non-governmental organizations operating in Ukraine and surrounding countries. For more information about how your business can support the Ukraine emergency response, please refer to the OCHA Business Guide to the Ukraine Crisis or contact connectingbusiness@un.org. Individuals can donate directly to the UN’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund by visiting crisisrelief.un.org/ukraine-crisis. ***

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Story

03 May 2022

STATEMENT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR UKRAINE, OSNAT LUBRANI

Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, 3 May 2022 I am pleased and relieved to confirm that 101 civilians have successfully been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol and other areas in a safe passage operation coordinated by the United Nations (UN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC). The operation started on Friday 29 April and was agreed with the parties to the conflict, following engagements by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres during his recent visits to Moscow and Kyiv. Thanks to the operation, 101 women, men, children, and older persons could finally leave the bunkers below the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months. Another 58 people joined us in Manhush, a town on the outskirts of Mariupol. We have accompanied 127 people today to Zaporizhzhia, about 230 kilometres north-west of Mariupol, where they are receiving initial humanitarian assistance, including health and psychological care, from UN agencies, ICRC and our humanitarian partners. Some evacuees decided not to proceed towards Zaporizhzhia with the convoy. Over the past days, travelling with the evacuees, I have heard mothers, children and frail grandparents speak about the trauma of living day after day under unrelenting heavy shelling and the fear of death, and with extreme lack of water, food, and sanitation. They spoke of the hell they have experienced since this war started, seeking refuge in the Azovstal plant, many being separated from family members whose fate they still don’t know. Seeing a 6-months old boy playing with a straw of grass, his delighted mother told me this is the first time in his life he has been able to do that. I saw the tears of joy as family members trapped in different parts of the plant for two months were reunited. Lyudmyla, an elderly woman, spoke of her longing to return to Mariupol where she has lived all her life, but she knew all too well that Mariupol, once a beautiful, vibrant city, is now decimated to rubble, and her family and friends are lost or dispersed. These stories from Mariupol and so many other places in Ukraine are a testament to the cruelty of this unjust war. Today, we brought people safely to Zaporizhzhia. However, I worry that there may be more civilians who remain trapped. We stand ready to work with ICRC to return to Azovstal to evacuate them, and to do the same in all other areas experiencing intense and escalating fighting across Ukraine. The UN will continue to engage with the parties to the conflict for this purpose. We are also committed to engage with the parties to return to Mariupol and bring urgent humanitarian support to people living in destroyed building with no access to water or electricity. We know it can be done, and it must be done. ***

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Press Release

17 May 2022

Media advisory: Briefing on the humanitarian crisis due to the war in Ukraine and the response undertaken by the United Nations

WHO: Saviano Abreu, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Victoria Andrievska, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Margaret Harris, World Health Organization (WHO) Paul Anthem, World Food Programme (WFP) Viktoriia Mykhalchuk, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) WHAT: Update on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine and overview of the efforts undertaken by aid organizations to support people impacted by the war. WHEN: 18 May 2022, at 9.30 a.m. (EET) WHERE: Media Center Ukraine, 32 Rynok Sq., Lviv, and online. Intense and escalating hostilities continue to cause suffering, deaths and massive destruction of civilian infrastructure across Ukraine, particularly affecting people in the east and south of the country. Hundreds of thousands of people continue to be uprooted by the war, while in the worst-impacted areas people have lived for over two months without adequate access to food, water and electricity or gas, with limited health services, while enduring the constant threat of bombardment. During this media briefing, OCHA will inform about the deteriorating situation, as well as efforts and challenges to deliver assistance to people whose lives have been upended by the war. WHO will draw attention to the destruction of health facilities and challenges faced by Ukrainians to access health services, while UNHCR will talk about the humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people and others affected by the war. WFP and FAO will inform about the impact of the war on food production and food security in Ukraine, and explain the efforts undertaken to support people affected. The briefing can be followed online in English and Ukrainian, or at the Media Center Ukraine, in Lviv. For further information, please contact: Saviano Abreu, OCHA: +380 681 334 432, WhatsApp/Signal: +254 780 530 141, deabreuisidoro@un.org OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int.

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Press Release

17 May 2022

Nearly 5 million jobs have been lost in Ukraine since the start of the Russian aggression, says ILO

GENEVA (ILO News) – An estimated 4.8 million jobs have been lost in Ukraine since the start of the Russian aggression, according to a new brief by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The study estimates that if hostilities were to escalate employment losses would increase to seven million. However, if the fighting was to cease immediately a rapid recovery would be possible, with the return of 3.4 million jobs. This would reduce employment losses to 8.9 per cent, according to the brief, The impact of the Ukraine crisis on the world of work: Initial assessments.

The Ukrainian economy has been severely affected by the Russian aggression. Since it began, on 24 February, more than 5.23 million refugees have fled to neighbouring countries. The refugees comprise mainly women, children, and persons over the age of 60. Of the total refugee population, approximately 2.75 million are of working age. Of these, 43.5 per cent, or 1.2 million, were previously working and have lost or left their jobs.

In response to this disruption the Government of Ukraine has made considerable efforts to keep the national social protection system operational by guaranteeing the payment of benefits, including to internally displaced persons, through the utilization of digital technologies. Regional and global crisis The crisis in Ukraine may also create labour disruption in neighbouring countries, mainly Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. If the hostilities continue, Ukrainian refugees would be forced to remain in exile longer, putting further pressure on the labour market and social protection systems in these neighbouring states and increasing unemployment in many of them.

The significant economic and employment disruption affecting the Russian Federation are having significant ripple effects on Central Asia, especially countries whose economies depend on remittances from the Russian Federation, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

These four states are among the top ten countries of origin for migrants in the Russian Federation, and many of these migrants send a significant share of remittances back to their home countries. If the hostilities and the sanctions against the Russian Federation lead to job losses for migrant workers in the Russian Federation and these migrant workers return to their countries of origin, there will be severe economic losses in Central Asia as a whole.

The aggression in Ukraine has also created a shock for the global economy, further complicating the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. This is likely to affect growth in employment and real wages and put additional pressure on social protection systems.

In many high-income countries, which have recently witnessed signs of a stronger labour market recovery, the fallout from the Ukraine crisis may worsen labour market conditions and reverse some of the gains made. The situation is particularly hard in low- and middle-income countries, many of which have been unable to fully recover from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Immediate actions In March, the ILO’s Governing Body passed a resolution calling on the Russian Federation to “immediately and unconditionally cease its aggression” against Ukraine. It expressed its grave concern at reports of civilian casualties and attacks on civilian facilities and the severe impact on workers and employers who were risking their lives to continue working.

To mitigate the impact of the crisis on the Ukrainian labour market the ILO recommends several immediate measures, including to: Facilitate the initiatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations so they can play an important role in providing humanitarian support and ensuring the continuation of work, where possible. The individual and collective efforts of the social partners can contribute positively to cohesion and foster inclusive economic, social and political development. Provide targeted employment support in the comparatively safe areas of Ukraine, including by building on the continuing government-sponsored programme to relocate workers and enterprises. ILO-supported Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs) can help create job opportunities. Support the social protection system in Ukraine to ensure that it continues to pay benefits, including newly-established cash transfers, to (past and new) beneficiaries. Prepare for a post-conflict reconstruction strategy that encourages the creation of decent and productive jobs through employment-intensive investment.

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Press Release

08 May 2022

Minister of Health and WHO Director-General meet in Kyiv to discuss health needs and support for Ukraine

Kyiv, 07 May 2022 – Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health of Ukraine, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, met in Kyiv today to discuss the devastating impact of war on Ukraine’s health system, the most pressing health issues and best ways WHO can provide health assistance for Ukrainian primary care facilities, hospitals and pharmacies to ensure continuity of care. “As a child of war myself, I relate a lot to what Ukrainians are going through,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “Building on our longstanding relationship with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, WHO is more committed than ever to supporting Ukraine’s heroic health workers, with medical supplies and technical support to treat the wounded and deliver care wherever it is needed, but the medicine Ukraine needs most right now is peace. WHO continues to call on the Russian Federation to stop the war.” “As we work on the immediate response, WHO is here to support Ukraine’s recovery, continue its halted health reforms and ensure that the health system comes out of the war stronger than ever,” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “I am deeply impressed and grateful to our doctors for their heroism, which they show every day, saving the lives of Ukrainians under fire. Today, more than ever, we need support from global institutions dedicated to protecting the lives and health of people around the world. We are grateful for the support provided by WHO to ensure the provision of medical services and the supply of medical devices. We are in touch with the regional office almost around the clock. But as the Minister of Health of Ukraine, I have asked and will ask you to reconsider the termination of the Russian Federation's membership in the WHO Executive Committee and the transfer of the regional office for noncommunicable diseases from Moscow to Kyiv. An aggressor country cannot destroy and kill people with one hand and manage and make decisions in the field of health care with the other hand,” explained Viktor Liashko, the Minister of Health of Ukraine. During a visit to Ukraine, Dr Tedros met with the representatives of the President’s Office, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukrainian health professionals and WHO staff in Ukraine. Together with Viktor Liashko, WHO Director-General visited health-care facilities in Kyiv oblast and met Ukrainian health workers to hear about their first-hand experience and challenges they face amid the war. Minister of Health and Director-General of the World Health Organization thanked and expressed appreciation to the Ukrainian medical staff for their tremendous work and dedication in providing care to Ukrainian patients in these difficult times. Ukraine’s health system is facing multiple challenges, with the situation growing more dire by the day. WHO works closely with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to identify gaps and needs in the country’s health system and respond to meet those needs rapidly. • To date, WHO has delivered 383 metric tonnes of medical supplies to the health-care facilities across Ukraine, reaching the east, south and north of the country where the need is greatest, including enough trauma and emergency supplies to conduct up to 15,9001 surgeries medicines and healthcare equipment to serve 650,0002 people. • WHO has also Established three health hubs in western Ukraine to support medical evacuations, and ensured safe medical evacuation of patients, including those suffering from cancer, for treatment outside Ukraine. More than 50 emergency medical teams have also been deployed to Ukraine and neighbouring countries to provide training and specialized medical care to supplement existing services. • WHO supports Ukraine in mental health, vaccine preventable diseases, trauma and injury prevention, disease surveillance, health financing and other critical areas, also building capacity of Ukrainian healthcare providers on how to handle mass casualties.

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