The issue of mine clearance in Ukraine is one of the main priorities for the EU, since the potentially contaminated area is huge, said Andreas Papaconstantinou, Director for Neighborhood the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) at the European Commission.

“Demining is definitely a priority. The potentially contaminated area is huge. It leads to, first of all, problems regarding security, cultivation of land, creation of livelihoods and opportunities for people. So, we address de-mining with three main instruments. One is humanitarian assistance funding, as part of our program. The second one is through another funding instrument of the European Union, which is called the Foreign Policy Instrument. The third instrument is the Civil protection mechanism, bringing in much-needed equipment from our member states in the European Union,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

Papaconstantinou stressed that, in addition, the European Union regularly discusses mine clearance issues with international partners and other donors. He also added that EU is funding a program with the World Food Program (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD), designed to safely release land back to productive use, including by clearing it from mines and other explosive remnants of the war, to help restore agricultural livelihoods, contribute to Ukraine’s economic recovery, and phase out the need for humanitarian assistance for thousands of rural families.