Aid for Ukraine

Solidarity and active support from the Region of Tyrol

Active humanitarian aid and support by the Region of Tyrol since the outbreak of war in February 2022
A framework agreement between the Region of Tyrol and the Transcarpathian Oblast has been in place for a year — numerous relief actions have been carried out
Cooperation on many levels — from immediate medical emergency aid to scholarly dialogue
Support for reconstruction remains an ongoing objective

Only a few days into Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the Region of Tyrol started taking concrete steps to help people seeking protection and assistance. In cooperation with its Honorary Consulate of Ukraine, the Region of Tyrol quickly began accommodating refugees caring for children and young adults as well as providing their educational needs.

Since the signing of the framework agreement between the Region of Tyrol and the Transcarpathian Oblast in March 2024, numerous initiatives have further enriched this cooperation.

Under the chairmanship of former Governor Günther Platter, an interdisciplinary body (“Task Force Reconstruction Program Ukraine Tyrol”) is tasked to design cooperation projects and organise humanitarian aid in close coordination with the Embassy of Ukraine in Austria and the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine in Tyrol.

Tyrol deliberately distinguishes between rapid, necessary humanitarian emergency aid and longer-term cooperation aimed at the best possible collaboration on the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Emergency aid has particularly included funding for necessary transports of goods collected by committed individuals — notably members of the Ukrainian community in Tyrol — as well as for items provided by the Tyrol Education Directorate (school furniture) and Tyrolean hospitals (primarily hospital beds but also technical medical equipment). Transports take place regularly. It is especially noteworthy that Tyrolean companies, private individuals and private initiatives have made efforts to organise and transport relief supplies.

The Region of Tyrol was able to purchase used emergency vehicles and mobilise several municipal vehicles from the State vehicle pool; these were handed over to Ambassador Vasyl Khymenets and are now already in use in Ukraine.

In cooperation with the network “Tirol hilft” (“Tyrol helps”), the Region of Tyrol has organised two youth camps, each lasting two weeks, which were run by “Kinderfreunde Tirol” in August and September. This initiative by the Region of Tyrol served as the basis for a decision by the Conference of Regional Governors to organise such youth camps in all federal regions, which was implemented successfully at short notice. This successful initiative is planned to be repeated in 2025.

A project supporting small-scale mountain agriculture in the Carpathians has already been successfully completed: approximately 120 Tyrolean mountain sheep and four rams were delivered to Transcarpathia for breeding and thus for meat and wool production.

The cooperation between the universities, enshrined in the framework agreement, was strengthened through the “Summer School Ukraine”, organised in July at the University of Innsbruck by the Institute for Slavic Studies. An internationally attended conference of the university network “AURORA” in January 2026 examined how scholarship can contribute to peacebuilding processes. The Region of Tyrol hosted the opening event and was particularly pleased to welcome a strong delegation of Ukrainian students and academics. The Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Innsbruck is financially supported by the Region of Tyrol as part of its development policy information and education work, and the Institute for Slavic Studies receives funding from the Region of Tyrol for teaching activities.

A further aim of the Region of Tyrol’s activities within the cooperation with Ukraine is to emphasise — and, where appropriate, to subject to scholarly study — the cultural and historical ties between Ukraine and Tyrol.

Personal exchange with decision-makers from politics, administration and business took place through delegation visits from the Transcarpathian Oblast (March and July 2025) and through active personal contacts of individual Task Force members with people in Ukraine.

The strong links with Ukraine — not least through the very active Ukrainian community in Tyrol — and the intensive cooperation with authorities and diplomatic representations have created a robust network between Tyrol and Ukraine. This direct exchange also makes it possible to receive direct, unfiltered information from the war zones. As shocking and disconcerting as these reports are, they motivate the Region of Tyrol to continue its humanitarian work and, subsequently, its commitment to reconstruction. The Region of Tyrol is represented in the cross-departmental and interregional body “Point of Contact Ukraine” of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) and can thereby contribute to Austria’s efforts in and for Ukraine.

As in previous years, on the anniversary of the Russian invasion, 24 February 2025, the Region of Tyrol, the Diocese of Innsbruck, the Ukrainian community in Tyrol and many others demonstrated their solidarity at a rally and commemorated the victims in a service at Innsbruck Cathedral.