Sweden announced a new humanitarian aid package for Ukraine worth 1.4 billion Swedish krona ($133 million), Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference on Dec. 11.
The aid package, which is the largest humanitarian support package that Sweden has ever given to Ukraine, aims to help Ukraine cope with the increase in Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure during the winter months.
"The cold winter must be met with our solidarity. It is about both their freedom and ours. Ukraine must win the war and Russia must lose the war," foreign policy spokesperson Joar Forssell said.
The bulk of the package, 900 million Swedish krona ($86 million), will go to the supporting energy, housing, health, and transport infrastructure through the World Bank's Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Trust Fund.
Another 300 million Swedish krona ($29 million) is earmarked for the European Development Bank's environmental and energy fund for Ukraine, while 100 million Swedish krona ($9.5 million) will go to the Grain from Ukraine initiative to support Ukraine's agricultural exports.
Unesco will receive 75 million Swedish krona ($7.1 million) to build air raid shelters in schools and kindergartens.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, the emergency response and civil defense branch of the Defense Ministry, will also receive funding worth 25 million Swedish krona ($2.4 million) to support Ukraine's critical infrastructure, such as heating supply.
"Ukraine is living through yet another winter under Russian aggression," Aid Minister Johan Forssell said.
Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure "have devastating consequences for an already hard-hit population and worsen the humanitarian situation in the country," Forssell said.
According to the Swedish government, Sweden has provided Ukraine with 5.2 billion Swedish krona ($495 million) in humanitarian support since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Daria Shulzhenko
