Tech firm Google announced further support for Ukraine this week by pledging 50,000 Google Workspaces, plus $5 million in Search advertising donations and a $2 million grant.
The new initiatives add to support for Ukraine already donated by Google to the tune of $15 million. With more given by Google.org and its employees, donations stand at $45 million in cash.
Along with money, the firm is committing four Google.org Fellowships for humanitarian relief efforts.
Holistic Package of Tech and Financial Support
The support comes as a package involving technical infrastructure, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance, stopping the flow of disinformation, and delivering authentic information to those in the region.
The announcement comes as other tech firms like Microsoft and Meta also contribute financial and technical support. In early November, Redmond-based Microsoft announced at the Web Summit in Lisbon that it was continuing to add free support totalling $100 million.
Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs, Google and Alphabet, spoke about the support from his firm on Google blog The Keyword and stated: “By providing these licenses and giving a year of free access to our Workspace solutions, including our cloud-first, zero-trust security model, we can help ensure Ukrainian public institutions have the security and protection they need to deal with constant threats to their digital systems.”
Google’s Assistance for Ukraine
On Google’s response to the conflict, Walker confirmed its commitment and the reason behind it. He said:
“Since the first days of the invasion, our priority has been helping the Ukrainian people, the government, and all those affected by the war. Nearly ten months later, Ukrainians are still facing deadly attacks and the realities of life in an active war zone — and we remain focused on helping.”
On Thursday, 1 November, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov visited Google’s offices in Washington, D.C., to receive the news of the commitments. The pledges in detail are:
- Continued technical infrastructure and cybersecurity backing: With a year’s free access to 500,000 Google Workspaces, they will include cloud computing, productivity collaboration tools, plus Gmail, Contacts, Calendar, Meet and Chat; employee engagement tool Currents; Google Drive storage; and Google Docs Editors suite for content.
- Zero-trust security Google Workspaces: Ukrainian public institutions will get protection from constant digital threats with cloud-first, zero-trust security models.
- $45 million in cash donations: Donated by Google.org and employees plus $5 million in Search advertising.
- 4 Google.org Fellowships for humanitarian relief efforts: Part of this will be a $2 million grant to the East Europe Foundation working with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation. The plan will expand the national “Diia” Digital Education Portal and provide 1 million people with training and 600,000 with job placements.
- Support for the startup ecosystem: Thursday’s announcement included the last recipients to receive funding via the $5 million Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund. Through this, 58 Ukrainian tech companies will get equity-free cash awards.
- Cash grants for fact-checking networks and nonprofits: For example, a $2.5 million Google.org grant to TechSoup Europe. This will help organisations across Central and Eastern Europe to use tech to combat disinformation.
Tackling Disinformation and Threat Actors
Google has also attempted to tackle online disinformation related to the broader Central and Eastern European region. Combatting Russian threat actors, it has taken down 80,000 videos and 9,000 channels from YouTube that have transgressed its Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. In the campaign to make information authentic, 750 Russian state-funded news channels have been removed, along with 4 million videos and media with links to RT and Sputnik.
In May, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Google its first Peace Prize for humanitarian work.
Walker reaffirmed Google’s commitment to humanitarian assistance and concluded: “We remain steadfast in our commitment to being worthy of that award. We join the international community in expressing our sincere hope for a return to a peaceful and sovereign Ukraine — and will continue to look for new ways to help those whose lives have been so deeply and tragically affected.”
