The Swiss Federal Council has decided to increase humanitarian aid to Ukraine and other countries of the region to CHF 80 million.
“In response to the refugee crisis, the Federal Council, at its meeting on March 11, decided to increase humanitarian assistance to Ukraine to CHF 80 million. With this contribution, Switzerland expresses its solidarity with the people of Ukraine in difficult times,” the Federal Council said in a statement on Friday.
A quarter of this amount will go to help Ukrainian refugees in neighboring countries. Three quarters are intended to help those who remained in Ukraine. The funds will benefit the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, UN agencies, international and local NGO and projects implemented by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Ukraine.
About 12 million people are currently dependent on emergency assistance as a result of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Since February 24, when Russia launched a war against Ukraine, the number of refugees from Ukraine to Poland has reached 1.52 million, the Polish Border Guard Service reported on Twitter on Friday.
According to it, on March 10, some 87,000 people from Ukraine crossed the Polish border, and on March 11, as of 7:00, another 25,400.
According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at 13:00 Kyiv time on March 10, in general, the Russian military offensive against Ukraine forced 2.473 million people to leave the country in 15 days of the war in search of security, protection and help.
The department clarifies that 60.6% of all refugees fell on the share of the Ukrainian-Polish border, while Hungary received 225,050, Slovakia – 176,090, Moldova – 104,930, Romania (data as of March 8 ) – 84,670, and other European countries (data as of March 9) – 258,840.
According to the OHCHR, 99,300 arrived in Russia from Ukraine, and 860 arrived in Belarus.
The department indicates that after a slight decrease, the flow of refugees has increased again: if, after a peak of 208,940 on March 6, the next day it decreased to 200,900, on March 8-9 – to 185,180 and 174,620, respectively, then on March 10 it jumped again to 190,430.
“As the situation continues to evolve, about 4 million people may leave Ukraine,” the OHCHR notes.
According to it, as of mid-2021, there were 53,470 Ukrainian refugees in the world who applied for the appropriate status, of which 36,490 were in Europe.
As of mid-2020, the OHCHR estimated the Ukrainian diaspora in the world at 6.1 million, including 5 million in Europe.
The organization clarifies that the right to free movement within the Schengen area means that there are very few border controls in the European Union, so arrivals in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia only reflect border crossings in these countries, however, according to the UN, a large number of people moved to other countries.
In addition, the OHCHR does not take into account persons from border countries who leave Ukraine and return home.
The European Investment Bank (EIB), which already approved a EUR668 million immediate financial support package for Ukraine on March 4, may increase assistance and develop an additional support package for the country’s reconstruction after the war end, bank president Werner Hoyer said.
“We are working hard to provide more support — I envisage a package for a total of EUR2 billion from the EIB — for critical infrastructure and to rebuild what the Russian army has knocked down, in a free and independent Ukraine. We also hope to announce in the coming days further financing to support Ukraine’s neighbors in and outside the European Union as they offer shelter and protection to refugees fleeing war,” he said.
“The European Investment Bank made the first two disbursements totaling EUR129 million to the government of Ukraine for the most urgent needs. These funds are part of the EIB’s Ukraine Solidarity Urgent Response of which EUR668 million was approved by the EIB Board of Directors on March 4. The financing benefits from the EU guarantee under the External Lending Mandate and complements other initiatives announced by EU institutions,” the report says.
“We are grateful to the European Investment Bank for close cooperation and efficient use of existing mechanisms to support Ukraine in these difficult times. We appreciate the swift actions, which allowed us to get essential funds for meeting the country’s urgent financial needs. We also hope to discuss new projects aimed at rebuilding economic and social infrastructure in the country in the near future,” Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said.
Lithuania’s Seimas has adopted a resolution in which it invited all member states of the European Union to support Ukraine’s aspirations to become a full member of the EU as soon as possible and to agree on granting Ukraine the status of an EU candidate.
“The Lithuanian Seimas unanimously adopted a resolution, which invites all member states of the European Union to support Ukraine’s aspiration to become a full member of the European Union as soon as possible, and to agree on granting the EU candidate status to Ukraine,” the Lithuanian Seimas tweeted on Thursday.
“The Seimas resolution also states that “Ukraine should be subject to an accelerated procedure for accession to the European Union without reservation”,” LRT.LT reports.
“Granting Ukraine the candidate status at this time would be an important sign of moral support for its people, who are defending their homeland and their right to decide their country’s future, without sparing their lives,” the resolution reads.
“The Seimas also maintains that admitting a country whose people have shown “incredible will and determination in their fight for European values” to the European Union “will inspire and strengthen the Union itself”,” it reads.
The resolution notes that Ukraine has been seeking EU membership for more than a decade and that Ukraine and the EU have been bound by the Association Agreement for the past five years. Thus, according to the resolution, Ukraine’s application to join the EU is the result of its strong commitment to European integration.
Also in the resolution, the Lithuanian Seimas confirms its readiness to provide Ukraine with all possible assistance in its quest for EU membership.
The international systems Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria Money Transfer, INTEL EXPRESS and TransferGo have canceled fees for transfers to Ukraine, the press service of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) said on Thursday.
According to the announcement, Ria has activated its global donation network for the Save the Children organization to help Ukrainian children who have been affected by the war in Ukraine and their families.
In addition, the INTELEXPRESS international money transfer system can make instant and free transfers to special accounts to raise funds to support the Ukrainian army and humanitarian aid to Ukrainians.
At the same time, the global payment network Euronet, which has an extensive system of ATMs in the world, has abolished fees for its services for the citizens of Ukraine.
In addition, the Polish instant payment system Blik has created a special page for raising funds to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The funds will be transferred to the NBU account opened in the state-owned bank – Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego.
INTEL EXPRESS, MONEYGRAM, RIA MONEY TRANSFER, TRANSFERGO, TRANSFERS, UKRAINE, WESTERN UNION
Estonia simplifies the procedure for obtaining a residence permit for refugees from Ukraine, from March 9, they can apply for a residence permit in one day. The corresponding order was adopted on Tuesday by the government of the republic.
“Today’s government decision will help reduce the bureaucracy for traumatized military refugees from Ukraine. This will allow them to more easily and quickly adapt to life in Estonia,” Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said.
According to the order, a refugee from Ukraine can apply for temporary protection in the form of a residence permit for a year, and then extend this period, the government explained.
Persons under temporary protection, as well as those close to them, are provided with services such as accommodation and meals, health insurance, they are granted the right to work in Estonia, and children are provided with access to pre-school and basic education.
Refugees are entitled to a living allowance, other cash benefits, such as family benefits. All those in need of assistance are entitled to emergency social assistance, they can participate in language learning and adaptation programs free of charge.
Since February 27, more than 7,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Estonia, including 2,610 children. Until now, most of the refugees came to Estonia to stay with their relatives or friends. Earlier it was reported that Estonia is ready to accept up to 10,000 refugees.
