The Heads of State and Government of the European Union began their extraordinary meeting in Brussels on Thursday by observing a minute’s silence as a sign of respect for the thousands of victims in Turkey and Syria as a result of last Monday’s earthquake, a catastrophe to which European leaders pledged to offer «further assistance to alleviate the suffering in all affected regions».
«The European Council calls on all to ensure humanitarian access to the victims of the earthquake in Syria, no matter where they are,» the leaders ask in the text of conclusions adopted at the start of a meeting of Twenty-seven marked by the visit of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenski, to Brussels.
The European Union has already mobilized additional resources to «support humanitarian efforts» and calls on the humanitarian community, under the auspices of the United Nations, to «ensure the rapid delivery of aid», the European governments’ document states.
The EU leaders also welcome the initiative promoted by the Swedish European presidency and the European Commission to hold a Donors’ Conference to raise funds from the international community to support those affected in Turkey and Syria, an event scheduled to take place next March in Brussels.
Since the event, a total of 23 European countries, including 20 Member States, have offered emergency assistance to Turkey in response to the earthquakes that shook the south of the country and have so far mobilized 36 rescue and medical teams, including more than 1,600 rescuers.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
