The United States donated 500 million dollars (493 million euros) to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on Wednesday to “support Ukrainian companies and public services” affected by the Russian invasion.
In a statement, the Treasury Department of the United States of America (USA), the equivalent of the Ministry of Finance, explained that the money will be used to finance the emergency response in Ukrainemainly the access to energyas well as to guarantee the food safetywith funds for infrastructure and transportation and direct funding to farmers and exporters.
furthermore, the the funds will be used to support the most vulnerable populations and internally displaced persons in the country.
The conflict in Ukraine has already made more than 6.8 million Ukrainian refugees
The agreement was signed this Wednesday in a virtual ceremony by the US Undersecretary for International Trade and Development, Alexia Latortue, and by the President of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso.
This contribution serves to reaffirm our support for the Ukrainian people, who defend their country from Russia’s unjustifiable and unprovoked war,” Latortue said, according to the briefing note.
The money part of the $40 billion aid package (about 39,000 million euros, at the current exchange rate) approved by the United States Congress and signed by President Joe Biden last May.
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Russia launched on February 24 a Military offensive in Ukraine that has killed more than 5,100 civiliansaccording to the UN, which warns of the probability that the real number is much larger.
The Russian military offensive caused the more than 16 million people fleeof which more than 5.9 million outside the countryaccording to the latest UN data.
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The international organization has observed the return of people to Ukrainian territory, but warns that new waves of displacement are expected due to insecurity and the lack of gas and water supply in the areas affected by the fighting.
Also according to the United Nations, more than 15.7 million people need humanitarian assistance in Ukraine.
THE The Russian invasion was condemned by the international community in generalwhich responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and tightening economic and political sanctions on Moscow.
Source: Observadora
