Finland has announced a major contribution of EUR 11 million to support the civil defence coalition jointly led by Finland and Ukraine. The funding proposal, approved by the Ministerial Finance Committee on 30 October and prepared under the Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development, will be channelled through the European Union’s Ukraine Facility. This funding will be used to finance the construction of civil defence shelters across Ukraine, helping protect communities from ongoing attacks. Finnish companies, which have strong expertise in this sector, are expected to play a significant role in upcoming procurement processes related to the project.
The funding will be provided through Pillar III of the EU Ukraine Facility, chosen as the main financing mechanism since it already supports similar shelter projects implemented by the Lithuanian and Belgian development agencies. By utilizing this existing structure, Finland’s contribution can be efficiently deployed to build shelters for schools, hospitals, and communities in conflict-affected areas of Ukraine.
Russia’s ongoing war of aggression has caused severe damage to civilian infrastructure, leaving half of Ukraine’s population without access to proper civil defence shelters. Developing a nationwide shelter network is expected to take at least a decade. The coalition’s goal is to launch this long-term effort with grant-based funding and a structured construction roadmap that will later enable Ukraine to expand the initiative with loan and mixed funding. The Ukraine Facility’s scalability, particularly through its second pillar that provides loan funding from international financial institutions, makes it a practical platform for this initiative.
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio emphasized Finland’s leadership role in protecting civilians and mobilizing international investment. He highlighted Finnish companies’ readiness to support reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. The official inauguration of the civil defence coalition is scheduled before the end of the year, bringing together key partners to enhance Ukraine’s civilian resilience.
In addition to the new EUR 11 million allocation, Finland had earlier committed EUR 2.2 million for 2025–2027 to a pilot construction project led by the Finnish and Ukrainian interior ministries and Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. Altogether, Finland’s total investment in Ukraine’s civil defence shelters now exceeds EUR 13 million, demonstrating its continued commitment to supporting Ukraine’s safety and reconstruction efforts.
