Yearning for home
Ukrainians fleeing Russian attacks huddle together in the freezing cold. They need visas, travel tickets, and a place to live now that they are longer safe in their home country. Many have left behind family roots that go back 700 or more years. Now, they face the possibility that they may never be able to return.
This was early 2022, immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many countries stepped up to provide support and relief in the form of funding, military equipment, and safe havens for refugees. Of all allied nations, Poland’s support has been the most notable.
Poland has led the way in Ukrainian relief
The most vital support Poland has given Ukraine is a safe haven, acting out of respect, camaraderie, and friendship.
Poland shares a Southeast border with Ukraine, but it’s not just a next-door neighbor. Poland and Ukraine have a deeply intertwined history and many families are mixed. The Polish people wholeheartedly support the Ukrainian national identity and its campaign for freedom, and they are doing everything they can to help.
Leveraging the close ties between the two nations, Poland is helping to reduce the burden of the war on Ukraine. The government, relief groups and communities are working together to open doors to refugees, deliver emergency services, and give Ukrainian forces funding and military equipment. Wounded Ukrainian soldiers get treatment at Polish hospitals, and volunteers work around the clock to make sure aid reaches all Ukrainians in need.
Poland knows that Ukraine should not have to fight alone. Aside from the devastating impact that a defeat for Ukraine would have on the rest of the Europe, victory for Russia could jeopardize freedom on a global scale. With such a solid and unyielding display of solidarity and friendship, Poland is paving the way for greater hope, unity, and prosperity both in Eastern Europe and across the world.
You can join Poland in standing with Ukraine by lending your voice to thousands of others calling to #UnifyUkraine and End the Occupation. On the Ukrainian Day of Unity, January 22, post a sunflower to shine a beacon of hope for Ukraine.
Sources: Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego; United Nations
