Estonians' donations to Ukraine have dried up
In recent years, the amount of donations collected in Estonia to support Ukraine has fallen significantly. However, fundraising organizations say support is now even more important than it was in the early years of the war.
While major organizations collected millions of euros in donations annually during the early years of the war, the amounts have now fallen to a few hundred thousand euros. Fundraisers say one reason is the reputational damage caused by the Slava Ukraini case, which has led people to lose trust in various NGOs.
Piia Kallas, head of the Estonian Rescue Association, said a lack of disposable funds and war fatigue are also significant factors.
"Since last year, we have also seen that people in Estonia may find it harder to spare money themselves, given developments in our lives and the economy. On top of that, the war has dragged on for a very long time, and unfortunately, some people may no longer believe that this aid will somehow help bring the war to an end more quickly," Kallas said.
Kallas added that, in her view, support is now more important than in previous years.
"Since last year, there has been a significant change in the number of missile attacks targeting civilians across Ukraine — not only in the east but also in the western regions, targeting peaceful areas and civilians from Kyiv all the way to Lviv. This shows that Ukraine's rescue services are at times under greater pressure than they were at the beginning of the war, when only areas near the front faced the challenge of protecting people and equipment," Kallas said.
Mait Palts, head of the National Defense Promotion Foundation, said that although Estonians' ability to provide assistance has declined, their willingness to help has not disappeared.
"Estonians have done very well in this respect. Especially when I talk to colleagues from other European countries, I think people here have understood the need very well and have supported Ukraine accordingly. Somewhere in Central Europe, the situation and the level of understanding are certainly quite different," Palts said.
Peeter Liinsoo, head of the NGO Bucel, said assistance does not have to be financial and that people can also donate items that can help Ukraine. Liinsoo said they still have to cover most of the cost of the aid themselves.
"In the NGO I belong to, I am also the main donor because I don't think it's ethical to ask someone else for money if I don't contribute anything myself," Liinsoo said.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski, Mari Peegel
