Humanitarian needs across Ukraine remain significant as the country continues to face widespread destruction, recurring displacement, and ongoing pressure on public services. Frontline oblasts experience frequent disruptions to heating, water, power, and health systems. Local authorities and civil society organizations remain the first responders but continue to face overstretch, capacity limitations, and resource constraints.

The experience of the 2024–2025 phase demonstrated that a flexible mechanism is essential to addressing humanitarian needs in a timely manner. Switzerland’s direct actions and contributions to emergency projects implemented showed that early, targeted support can stabilize essential services, assist newly affected or underserved communities, and address urgent needs within a short period of time. This flexibility remains crucial given the volatility of the situation and the ongoing socioeconomic impact of the conflict.

• Vulnerable populations affected by the war, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, children, women, older people, and persons with disabilities. Particular attention will be given to marginalized groups, including GBV survivors, veterans with specific needs, and other at-risk individuals.
• Communities in frontline or newly affected areas requiring rapid, punctual support, especially municipalities facing urgent humanitarian gaps or winterization needs.
• Local civil society organizations and community-based actors engaged in emergency response, whose capacities are strengthened through targeted small grants.
• Selected individual patients requiring medical evacuation to Switzerland for specialized treatment.

1. Operational and office costs are ensured to maintain effective coordination, oversight, and rapid implementation of the Flexible Emergency and Humanitarian Assistance Credit, covering essential expenses such as staffing, mandates, translations, field missions, and communication needs.
2. Emergency and seasonal needs of war-affected communities are addressed through SHA direct actions and targeted financial contributions to humanitarian partners and local initiatives, enabling rapid response, restoration of essential services, and winterisation support that strengthens community resilience.
3. Urgent individual needs are met through medical evacuations to Switzerland, where specialized treatment is required and unavailable domestically.

Expected results:  

1. Operational and coordination capacities are ensured, with core costs covered to support effective management of the credit..
2. Approximately 9–13 rapid humanitarian interventions are implemented through both SHA direct actions and partner-led initiatives, addressing urgent and seasonal needs of affected communities. These interventions restore essential services, support newly displaced people, provide winterization assistance, and strengthen locally led responses and community resilience in high-risk or underserved areas.Individual patients requiring specialized medical treatment not available in Ukraine receive timely medical evacuation to Switzerland, ensuring protection and care for the most vulnerable.

Results from previous phases:  

The 2024–2025 implementation showed the impact of rapid, flexible support. Direct Emergency Actions quickly restored essential services in Sumy oblast, with CHF 300,000 funding urgent repairs and CHF 200,000 supporting RCC mobile response trucks. Sub-awards to local and international NGOs (around CHF 1 million) filled critical gaps: IRC provided emergency health and protection, PIN strengthened hotlines, Dobrobat repaired houses and infrastructure, and Free Kharkiv rehabilitated a damaged medical facility—reaching thousands and demonstrating the value of timely local support.

Winterization efforts, over CHF 2 million across 11 NGO projects, delivered solid fuel, housing repairs, and heating support for Odesa’s municipal system. These interventions show that flexibility is essential when needs shift rapidly and formal humanitarian pipelines cannot respond quickly enough.