“We are taking concrete steps to better prepare Europe for potential threats,” said EU Crisis Response Commissioner Janez Lenarcic.
The European Union announced on Wednesday the creation, for 540 million euros, of a stock of medicines and equipment intended to deal with nuclear, bacteriological and chemical emergencies, in a context of growing fear concerning the war of Russia in Ukraine.
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The European Commission, the executive of the 27-nation bloc, clarified that the stockpile consists of “vaccines», «equipment and drugsto treat patients injured during chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks.
“Equipment intended for chemical, biological or nuclear emergencies”
The first step, according to the EU, will be to procurepotassium iodide tablets that can be used to protect people from the harmful effects of radiation“. Three million iodine tablets have already been delivered to Ukraine, with the help of France and Spain, the Commission added. “We are taking concrete steps to better prepare Europe for potential threats“, with “equipment for chemical, biological or nuclear emergenciessaid EU Crisis Response Commissioner Janez Lenarcic.
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Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, many observers have raised the risk of the use of nuclear or chemical weapons in the conflict. Westerners have warned that Moscow may use chemical weapons in the face of fierce resistance from the Ukrainians, who have blocked the Russian advance.
The fighting in Ukraine has also raised fears about the safety of nuclear facilities, such as Chernobyl, site of the worst nuclear accident in history in 1986, and Zaporozhye, Europe’s largest power plant. Russia has also placed its nuclear forces on high alert after warning Westerners not to intervene militarily to help Ukraine.
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