On Wednesday – in moderate weather – 12 ambulances and other relief supplies were sent from Austria to Ukraine.
Alexander Van der Bellen traveled to Ukraine on the night train at the turn of the month. There he not only visited Bucha, the site of the worst war crimes, but of course also met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
But the President does not want to come empty-handed. The Ukrainians are provided with urgently needed generators, building materials to rebuild destroyed houses and other funds. In addition, another five million euros will be made available for the “Ukraine Energy Support Fund” to rebuild damaged energy infrastructure.
Minister as altar boy
Also: Thanks to donations from their members, the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic communities in Austria were able to organize 12 rescue vehicles to deliver aid to the Ukraine. The ceremonial farewell took place on Wednesday afternoon at Ballhausplatz. There they were blessed by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn. Also present were the Vicar General of the Ordinariate for the faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches in Austria, Yuriy Kolasa, other priests and representatives of the Ukrainian communities.
Minister for Europe Karoline Edtstadler took part from the government. She resorted to a rather unusual act on her own initiative. In order not to leave the cardinal out in the rain during interviews, the minister quickly became the altar boy and insisted on holding his umbrella.
Incidentally, Edtstadler was actually an altar boy when she was young – and when she was young she was even the first female in her home town of Elixhausen.
Grateful and happy
“The humanitarian consequences of the brutal Russian war of aggression are dramatic. I am therefore happy and grateful for the unbroken willingness to help in our country. During my working visit to Kyiv in November 2022, I was able to convince myself: the help is urgently needed and it is getting there. Austria is standing continue to be at Ukraine’s side,” said Edtstadler on this occasion.
The chairman of the Austrian-Ukrainian parliamentary friendship group, Helmut Brandstätter, adds: “We would like to thank everyone in Austria – the federal government, states, municipalities, private individuals and civil society and church organizations, who are not indifferent to the suffering in Ukraine and who are also working in these challenging Donate times for those fellow human beings who are doing unimaginably badly due to this brutal Russian war of aggression. Austria was also massively helped in times of need after World War II. Despite all the current challenges, it makes me hopeful that Austria is one of the largest donors for the Ukraine is.”
Vergelt´s Gott
The ambulances are part of the diverse aid that the Ukrainian Greek Catholic communities in Austria have been putting together for months, as explained by Eastern Church Vicar General Yuriy Kolasa. It is “very impressive that this time our new small Ukrainian communities, which consist of 90 percent of war refugees, have also carried out the collection campaign”.
For example, the municipality in Klagenfurt collected 6,500 euros. And the new community in Baden organized a street market “where women sold their homemade things and collected 1,300 euros.” Those people “who have received help are now also ready to help others”.
“The wave of solidarity that has emerged across Austria touches our hearts and reinforces our belief that Austrian society will always stand as an outstanding testament to the fundamental values of solidarity, togetherness, community and consideration. I am also convinced that this the close cooperation between church, politics and civil society. On behalf of all people affected and suffering by the war in Ukraine and those who are fleeing or have already arrived here, I say to you our heartfelt ‘God forgive me! ‘” Kolasa concludes.
