Humanitarian and civilian support to Ukraine
Updated
Sweden has long provided aid to Ukraine in the form of both reform-oriented development cooperation and humanitarian support. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden has provided Ukraine with approximately SEK 7,1 billion in humanitarian and civilian support (11 December 2023). This includes increased aid through support to humanitarian organisations, support for women’s and girls’ rights and opportunities, and donations of medical supplies, fire protection, generators and tents for civilian crisis management. Sweden also provides support to Ukraine’s reform efforts and recovery.
Humanitarian support
Sweden's humanitarian support to Ukraine amounts to around SEK 2.1 billion. It includes contributions via organisations that are effective in providing the Ukrainian people and refugees with medicines, food and other essential items via primarily the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Ukraine Red Cross Society, the UN’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, Save the Children, UNICEF, UNHCR, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Norwegian Refugee Council, Danish Refugee Council, Action against Hunger, and the International Rescue Committee. Sweden has also supported shipments of 50 000 tonnes of wheat via the WFP to alleviate the consequences of the war for vulnerable countries, and has given SEK 100 million in support to ‘Grain from Ukraine’, a Ukrainian initiative.
Financial support
Ukraine has lost access to international capital markets due to Russian aggression. In addition to regular core contributions to the World Bank, Sweden has extended a guarantee of approximately SEK 500 million to Ukraine. In December, the World Bank announced further support to Ukraine of SEK 600 million. The support will go to key investments in the energy sector, Ukrainian agriculture, and the education and housing sectors to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term resilience. In total, this amounts to SEK 1.1 billion.
Civilian crisis management
The support for civilian crisis management amounts to around SEK 800 million. Via MSB, Sweden has contributed emergency assistance in the form of the coordination and transportation of medical supplies, medical evacuations of the wounded and sick for care in Sweden, mine clearance, protective equipment, fire protection, emergency accommodation, electricity network equipment, and generators.
Recovery
So far, the Swedish Government has provided approximately SEK 1,69 billion for recovery efforts in Ukraine. These include support for the sustainable reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank’s Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund (URTF) and the Nordic Green Bank Nefco, Energy Community’s Ukraine Energy Support Fund, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Eurocontrol. Sweden is also responsible for coordinating waste management in Ukraine under an agreement concluded with President Zelensky in summer 2022.
Reform support
Ukraine’s reform needs are great, and to July 2023 Sweden had provided annual bilateral reform support to Ukraine under the Strategy for Sweden’s reform cooperation with Eastern Europe 2021–2027. In 2022, this support amounted to over SEK 335 million and included efforts for inclusive economic development, gender equality, the environment and energy, democracy and human rights, free and independent media, support for civil society, decentralisation and public administration reform, peacebuilding and resilience.
In July 2023, the Government adopted a new bilateral strategy for Sweden’s recovery and reform aid to Ukraine – the Strategy for Sweden’s recovery and reform cooperation with Ukraine 2023–2027 – which has been transferred out of the strategy for Eastern Europe:
The two strategies include reform and recovery support of approximately SEK 1,19 billion since February 2022.
Strategic support
A range of strategic support worth approximately SEK 266 million goes to, among other things, support for free and independent media, cybersecurity, accountability, nuclear safety and gender equality.
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