By KYIV. Nov 6 (Interfax-Ukraine) – During the visit of President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to Kyiv, a ceremonial handover of school buses took place; First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the ceremony, the press service of the President’s Office reported on Saturday evening.
As part of the School Buses for Ukraine solidarity campaign initiated in the autumn of 2022 by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian communities received over 370 school buses.
“Last year, during my visit to the European Parliament, I talked about this need to Madam President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. And now, Ukrainian communities are receiving over 370 buses. This is a great manifestation of solidarity. This is a direct route to the future of children, both theirs and the whole country, in the midst of war. This is what school buses are, and this is why they are important,” the President’s wife said.
According to the press service, the first lady thanked the European Commission for its help. As part of this campaign, the European Commission purchased 100 buses at a total cost of approximately EUR 14 million. Public and private organizations in EU member countries provided an additional 271 school buses through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism coordinated by the European Commission.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated, “This brutal war has robbed thousands of Ukrainian children of the innocence of childhood. But it will not deprive them of the bright and happy future they deserve. That’s why I’m happy that we can help to take the children of Ukraine to school, safely. Providing over 370 school buses by the European Commission and member states demonstrates our shared commitment to the future generations of Ukrainians.”
The delivered buses will be distributed among six regions affected by Russian aggression: Kyiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, and Chernihiv.
Olena Zelenska also mentioned that among the new buses, there are inclusive ones equipped with lifts for students who use wheelchairs. This will help ensure access to education for all Ukrainian students.
“The need for buses still exists. Currently, we lack approximately 2,100 buses, including more than 200 units of transport for children with disabilities. Therefore, partner assistance is extremely important for Ukrainian communities and students,” Minister of Education and Science Oksen Lisovy said.
