HIGHLIGHTS
U.S. Vice President Biden visits Ukraine on December 7 and 8, expresses USG support
An estimated 3.1 million people require emergency humanitarian assistance
The UN reports an overall reduction in hostilities; however, localized clashes escalated in November
UN convoy delivers more than 630 MT of food and supplies to Luhansk on December 14
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden met with Government of Ukraine (GoU) leaders on December 7 and 8 to discuss anti-corruption efforts and economic and government reforms, reassuring Ukrainian leaders of U.S. Government (USG) support. Vice President Biden met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on December 7 and addressed the Ukrainian parliament on December 8.
The recently released UN 2016 Global Humanitarian Overview estimates that 800,000 people in Ukraine live along the contact line, an additional 2.7 million people live in non-government-controlled areas (NGCAs) with little freedom of movement, and 3.1 million people across the country require humanitarian assistance. In addition, the UN estimates that conflict has displaced approximately 1.1 million people to neighboring countries and an estimated 800,000 internally. The revised UN figures incorporate updated needs assessment data and enhanced internally displaced person (IDP) verification and registration processes. To meet ongoing humanitarian needs, the UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) plan to target 2.5 million people with assistance in 2016, requesting an estimated $298 million to provide assistance to vulnerable and conflict-affected populations.
Although hostilities decreased between August and October, localized and isolated clashes between GoU and separatist forces escalated along the contact line in November. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports that despite an overall reduction in hostilities, insecurity in eastern Ukraine continues to significantly affect people residing in conflict-affected areas.