Credit: Ievgenii Karanov, Chronicle.lu

On Saturday 15 November 2025, LUkraine asbl, a non-profit organisation representing Luxembourg’s Ukrainian community and supporting Ukraine amid Russian military aggression, held a ceremony recognising donors, partners and contributors to the “Ukraine is Calling” project at the Ukrainian Library in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, an event attended by around 60 people.

According to the association, the fundraising initiative aims to procure emergency vehicles, including ambulances, fire trucks and pickups, to help save lives during the war in Ukraine. To date, it has raised €2.87 million, enabling the delivery of 96 ambulances, twelve fire trucks and four pickups.

Mykola Zharov, President of LUkraine asbl, stated: “Today we close one of the most inspiring chapters in our association’s humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine. Each vehicle delivered is more than a number - it is a heartbeat, a symbol of solidarity in motion and a bridge between the people of Europe and those saving lives on the ground.” He added: “This campaign grew into a genuine pan-European movement, supported by citizens, municipalities, companies, institutions and governments across the continent. Your engagement has shown that diplomacy and solidarity can work hand in hand.”

Damaged emergency vehicles destroyed by landmines were also showcased as part of the awareness campaign. According to the association, these vehicles were transported and exhibited across ten European countries, from Luxembourg to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Slovakia, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, between October 2022 and October 2025, appearing in more than one hundred cities.

According to LUkraine, the campaign received significant institutional support from Luxembourg and European partners. The Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade contributed fourteen armoured ambulances, while the Ministry of Home Affairs, together with the Corps grand-ducal d’incendie et de secours (CGDIS) and the City of Luxembourg, provided eight additional ambulances. The European Investment Bank (EIB) supported the campaign with the donation of three armoured ambulances.

Nicolas Gierten, Deputy Director at Luxembourg’s Directorate of Defence, emphasised Luxembourg’s ongoing commitment to Ukraine, stating: “We try to keep this alive beyond the campaign. Your initiative and the work of LUkraine are a symbol of the commitment of our people, and we are very proud to contribute. Let me reiterate that we are supporting the Ukrainian armed forces directly with monetary support, with weapons and with other assistance.” He added: “Right now we have spent €391 million on this support, which we will continue for as long as it takes, including through the training of Ukrainian forces - notably in combat medicine, which is closely linked to this campaign.”

Further assistance came from several Luxembourg municipalities. Communes including Bissen, Hesperange, Dudelange, Hobscheid, Schifflange, Bettembourg and the City of Esch-sur-Alzette supported the initiative by donating fire trucks used in the campaign’s emergency vehicle fleet.

The association identified François Moyer as the project’s largest private donor, noting that he has contributed close to €1 million to various LUkraine initiatives, including “Ukraine is Calling”. Speaking at the ceremony, he shared his motivation:“I was thinking of Ukraine all the time and I thought, what can you do? And I only can… I have not the energy to go to war or to drive cars. So I made a financial help that had as a citizen, I think there should be thousand citizens like me making donations.”

In addition to institutional partners, LUkraine highlighted the contribution of volunteers who have repeatedly transported emergency vehicles to Ukraine, among them Thomas Jankowoy and Anders Lilieholm, both drivers who have completed more than a dozen delivery missions. The association also acknowledged Chennai Kim, Project Director in Ukraine, who oversees the vehicles’ reception and deployment on the ground.

Representatives of the diplomatic community were likewise present, including officials from the embassies of the United States, Belgium, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Austria. In his remarks, Charles Delonge, Ambassador of Belgium to Luxembourg, highlighted the importance of continued public engagement: “Not only the governments, but also the citizens… They continue, they stay mobilised thanks to associations like LUkraine. I'm very impressed and this is something unforgettable, but I say that I have mixed feelings because I'm also very angry, very angry that the life cycle of an ambulance is just a few weeks, a few months. Shooting an ambulance is a war against humanitarian law. And this is something we cannot forget.”

The evening concluded with a reception and informal networking, allowing guests to continue discussions in a relaxed setting.