The Shelter Coalition is a new initiative designed to support Ukraine’s transition from ad-hoc shelters to a country-wide network. The Coalition brings together Finland, the European Union, Lithuania, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, as well as the EIB and the World Bank.

The inaugural meeting took place on November 27 2025 in the presence of the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko, who emphasised the importance of protecting civilian lives.

The Shelter Coalition will work alongside Ukrainian authorities to map needs, design inclusive and accessible shelters, and mobilise financing.
A key focus will be the construction and rehabilitation of dual-use shelters – facilities that function as schools, healthcare facilities, or community spaces during peacetime. Priority will go to communities closest to the frontline and heavily targeted regions.

Enabel, alongside CPVA (Lithuania), will serve as the main implementing partners for construction under the EU-funded component.

Luc Jacobs, Ambassador of Belgium to Ukraine: "The Coalition will allow us to join a broader initiative, amplifying our impact on the ground. This is a continuing effort: through Enabel, we have already been constructing new shelters for schools in the communities of Novi Petrivtsi, Shevchenkove, and Baryshivka, and rehabilitating three existing shelters."

The Shelter Coalition is designed to support the roll-out of Ukraine's Strategy for the Development of the Fund of Civil Protection Structures up to 2034, led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Emergency Service.

Ihor Klymenko, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine: "The Coalition is not only about financial support. It is about pooling technologies, engineering solutions, and the experience of democratic states that have been investing in the resilience of their infrastructure for decades. Together, we are doing what really matters: protecting people and showing the world that unity is stronger than terror."

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