So thank you so much for coming tonight and being here in this center. We’re actually experiencing what people experience here. There’s no electricity and no heat. And with winter fast approaching, we’re very concerned about Ukraine’s energy needs. Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure; missiles and drone attacks have left far too much of Kyiv without power and water. When temperatures plummet, this dark situation could become dire. We see it here tonight. We cannot allow that to happen.
That is where this IDP collective center and others like it come in. And I saw today how this center, which is partially funded by USAID, is ensuring displaced people have food, shelter, and water. I saw modular homes and hot water heaters, a kitchen for hot meals, and a playroom for children. This center will save lives. It’s exactly what the Ukrainian people need.
In this spirit of meeting humanitarian needs for the winter, today I’m proud to announce an additional $25 million from USAID to support vulnerable people in Ukraine during the harsh winter. These new funds will extend on our existing winterization planning and response efforts. They will scale up assistance to nearly 75,000 of the most affected households, primarily in eastern Ukraine, where infrastructure and essential services has been destroyed by Russian forces.
We will partner with the International Organization for Migration to surge shelter support, water, sanitation, cash assistance, and hygiene assistance in the coming months. And the United States, I have to say, is very proud to provide this humanitarian relief to the Ukrainian people in their time of need. We’re proud to stand with Ukraine in its time of need – here today, as well as in the future – and we will do everything we can to help Ukraine’s most vulnerable during the winter ahead. Thank you very much.
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