The EU has evacuated more than 5,000 Ukrainian patients to hospitals across Europe
The European Union has announced a large-scale medical evacuation of Ukrainian patients, through which more than 5,000 people have already received treatment in hospitals across 22 European countries. The operation has been ongoing since the start of the full-scale war and is coordinated through EU civil protection mechanisms in cooperation with international medical organizations. This is stated in a press release from the European Commission.
The European Commission reported that the milestone of 5,000 evacuated patients was reached last week, with the latest flights transporting Ukrainians to Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway. These are people with severe injuries, chronic illnesses, and complex medical conditions for whom treatment in Ukraine under wartime conditions was difficult or impossible.
Ajja Labib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, highlighted the scale and significance of this work, stating: “Reaching the milestone of 5,000 medical evacuations under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism shows Europe at its best—saving lives through solidarity and rapid cooperation.”
She added that the system works thanks to the coordination of dozens of countries and the joint efforts of medical services: “This was made possible by the unwavering commitment of all countries involved: from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway to 18 other European states that received patients for treatment and care.”
According to the European Commission, the evacuations are organized by the Emergency Response Coordination Center in cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. This mechanism allows for the rapid transport of patients from high-risk areas to hospitals, where they receive the necessary care without delay.
Officials in Brussels emphasize that this is the largest medical evacuation operation ever carried out under the European Civil Protection Mechanism, and it will continue as long as there is a need to treat Ukrainian patients abroad.
Additionally, the EU population is projected to decline by 11.7% by the end of the century, according to Eurostat.
British journalist Will Lloyd warns: due to the war, Ukraine’s population, which exceeded 40 million in 2014, could shrink to approximately 20 million by 2025.
Estimates of a drastic reduction in Ukraine’s population to 20 million people are unrealistic and lack scientific basis. This was stated by Oleksandr Gladun, Deputy Director of the Institute of Demography and Quality of Life Research at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, while commenting on high-profile publications in Western media.
