The Stream

What is needed to address the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine?

On Thursday, March 10 at 19:30GMT:
There is real worry the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is deepening as Russia’s continued military assault hampers efforts to provide aid to civilians trapped by the fighting. Hundreds of thousands of people are now without power, food, and water. For those in the port city of Mariupol, it has been over 10 days without such necessities.

Several attempts to reach an evacuation ceasefire have failed. Last Thursday, Ukrainian authorities announced talks between Moscow and Kyiv were making progress to secure humanitarian corridors. However on Monday, Ukraine rejected Russia’s offer to pause fighting to allow Ukrainians safe travel to Russia or its close ally Belarus. Ukraine called the offer ‘completely immoral’.

In the meantime humanitarian organizations from across the globe continue to mobilise, collecting aid, and setting up distribution channels. But with access slowly being siphoned off groups are having to figure out how to get aid into the country while also responding to the mounting refugee crisis.

On this episode of The Stream we discuss those efforts and ways to keep aid flowing into Ukraine.

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Jens Laerke, @JensLaerke
Spokesperson in Geneva, UNOCHA

Olya Yarychkivska, @razomforukraine
Co-Founder & Board Member, Razom for Ukraine

Step Vaessen, @stepvaessen
Correspondent, Al Jazeera English