“We need the international community to seriously support these plans so that we can demonstrate the same strength as the Ukrainian people,” said Tom Fletcher, UN humanitarian chief, who spoke visited several conflict-affected communities in the country this week.
$2.62 billion for humanitarian aid
Regarding the humanitarian component, the new response plan will require funding of $2.62 billion.
Inside Ukraine, humanitarian organizations aim to help 6 million people in 2025 by providing them with food, healthcare, shelter, financial aid, emergency education , protection and other vital services.
Particular attention will be paid to the most vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly and people with disabilities, who are often isolated and face barriers that prevent them from accessing support.
© UNFPA Ukraine / Isaac Hurskin
Since Russia’s all-out invasion began in February 2022, reports of multiple forms of violence have increased in Ukraine, including conflict-related sexual violence, exploitation, and human trafficking.
The new plan will also prioritize children at risk and survivors of gender-based violence.
“I am impressed by the determination of the Ukrainian people to continue their action in the face of immense difficulties. These communities are on the front lines of the humanitarian response and they need our support and solidarity more than ever,” added Mr. Tom Fletcher.
$690 million for refugee aid
To help Ukrainian refugees, the second response plan unveiled on Thursday will allocate $690.3 million in 2025 and $1.2 billion in 2025-2026.
In this framework, humanitarian actors will help 11 host countries in the region to expand their protection and integrate more than 2 million refugees into their national systems in 2025 and 2026. This will allow refugees to access housing, decent work, health and specialized legal and protection services.
This is about meeting their basic needs, while targeting support to children at risk and survivors of gender-based violence.
“Countries hosting Ukrainian refugees abroad have done incredible work over the past three years to provide security and a sense of normalcy to help these refugees restart their lives in their new communities, while hoping that conditions change in Ukraine to allow them to return home. We must continue to maintain this hope,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.
Despite lack of funds and access constraints, nearly 3 million people received food assistance in 2024.
Around 5.8 million people, mainly in frontline regions, also benefited from water, sanitation and hygiene assistance.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher visits a medical clinic hit by a missile in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
The international community must remain engaged
At least two million people have had access to health and medical services. Millions more have benefited from shelter, education, protective services and cash assistance to meet urgent needs.
In host countries, 1 million Ukrainian refugees benefited from legal advice, mental health support, gender-based violence services and other protection activities. Nearly 330,000 people have had access to housing, cash and other forms of in-kind assistance to cover their basic needs. At least 300,000 children at risk have received specialized help to find shelter.
As 2025 dawns, the UN and its partners are urging governments, donors and individuals to contribute to response plans. The Ukrainian people, at home and abroad, need the world to stay the course with them to rebuild their lives and preserve hope for a better future.
“Now is not the time to forget the millions of Ukrainians who were forced to flee their homes and, for too many of them, their country,” insisted Mr. Grandi, returning from a visit to several frontline regions of Ukraine, where he met with displaced and war-affected people.
