29/06/2020 (Agence Europe) – Via its Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Union is lending a helping hand to Ukraine to combat the floods in the west of the country, the worst in 50 years, caused by intense rainfall. In response to a request for assistance from the Ukrainian authorities, Sweden offered 1.2 kilometres of dam, 250 pipes and technical experts as early as Saturday 27 June. Italy and Sweden have since offered to provide pumping equipment and protective equipment to help the affected populations. The European Commission, for its part, has activated the European Copernicus programme to provide detailed satellite maps of the damage in the affected areas. The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) is monitoring the situation closely to coordinate offers of assistance. (AN)