On March 19, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Herman Smetanin, and the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Finland, Mari Rantanen, signed a Joint Letter of Intent in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The agreement outlines the development of Ukraine's civil defense shelter system with active involvement from Finland and other partner countries. The goal is to support Ukraine in reforming its shelter system and enhance international coordination in this area.
This initiative follows an agreement made between Presidents Stubb and Zelenskyy on April 3, 2024.
The Letter of Intent establishes the creation of a Coalition for Shelters within Civil Defense, aimed at coordinating international efforts to ensure that civil protection shelters are aligned with Ukraine's national strategic objectives.
The document highlights the importance of setting standards, sharing best practices, and pooling resources to begin building a modern system of civil defense structures to protect Ukraine's civilian population from all threats.
The Letter of Intent was signed in Helsinki during the visit of the Presidents of Ukraine and Finland to the municipal civil defense shelter Merihaka.
