Brussels, 25/04/2022 (Agence Europe) – On 25 April, the European Commission announced that, to date, the EU has coordinated the evacuation of nearly 200 chronically ill Ukrainians via the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism to 11 European countries (Germany, Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Romania, Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Norway). This operation, which started at the end of March (see EUROPE 12919/9), allows patients to be transferred to hospitals where they will receive the necessary treatment. It responds to a request from the authorities in Kyiv and is simultaneously intended to relieve Poland, Slovakia and Moldova, which have also asked for help. The medical evacuation aircraft of RescEU - the EU Civil Protection Mechanism’s equipment pool - is helping to transfer patients. Norway, a country participating in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, is hosting the aircraft. The EU finances the transport costs. (AN)