The Breakthrough Prize Foundation has announced a $3 million pledge to establish an international group that will support Ukraine’s scientists and researchers.

To rebuild a successful global science and innovation system in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Science, Innovation, and Research Coordinating Group will support Ukrainian researchers, share insights and best practices, identify areas with potential to benefit from collaboration, and highlight areas of overlap or redundancy. To that end, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the Polish Academy of Sciences will act as secretariats for the group, which initially will include representatives from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the All European Academies, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Australian Academy of Science, the French Academy of Sciences, the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, and the Royal Society of the United Kingdom.

“The world needs Ukrainian science, and Ukrainian science needs support,” said Breakthrough Prize Foundation founder Yuri Milner. “It’s an honor to collaborate with such distinguished partners on this important and timely initiative.”

“As the war grinds on, it is no accident that Ukraine’s research infrastructure—which is so critical to the nation’s future—continues to be targeted by the Russian military,” said NAS president Marcia McNutt. “With the help of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, the international scientific community is coming together not only to provide much-needed support to Ukrainian researchers during the war but also to ensure that the Ukrainian research enterprise is ready to help rebuild the country and contribute to global science when the war ends.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Joel Carillet)