Iceland & Ukraine: Art Auction For Ukraine, Gov’t Pays For Cargo Shipment, Minister Promises More Help

As the war rages on in Ukraine, Icelanders are pooling their resources to find ways to help. Amongst these is an art auction happening this Sunday, both at Gallery Port and Vinstukan, starting at 15:00 and lasting well until 21:30.

Easter is drawing closer and now we have Icelandic Easter Eggs back in stock!

All of these are artists based in Iceland, some of them from Ukraine themselves. All proceeds from the auction will go directly to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Kyiv Independent, one of the most reputable news sources in English in Ukraine.

On the government front, RÚV reports that the Icelandic government has paid for a cargo shipment, brought by Icelandic airline company Air Atlanta, to a country near the Ukrainian border. While specifics were not disclosed, Sveinn H. Guðmarsson, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs, said that the shipment contained military supplies, protective equipment and medical supplies.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said that in addition to yesterday’s announced measures–which include issuing a no-fly-zone for Russian aircraft in Icelandic air space and the denial of visas for Russian government workers and business leaders–sanctions have also been imposed on some individuals in Belarus. She added that increased traffic can be expected at Keflavík International Airport, as NATO forces employ the base as a transit point towards eastern Europe.

The Refugee Committee is still assessing the situation in Ukraine and have not yet reached a decision on how many Ukrainian refugees Iceland will accept, or when. Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson said that “all doors are open” for people fleeing Ukraine, and said that many Ukrainians have arrived in Iceland over the past weekend to re-unite with family members. He also said that the government intends to send assistance to countries on the border with Ukraine to help them accept refugees.