Krzysztof Szczerski made the declaration at a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine on Tuesday night, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
‘Poland is one of major donors to Ukraine’
The Polish envoy outlined the ways in which Poland had been supporting Ukraine as it battled the Russian invasion, from welcoming the biggest number of refugees to operating as a hub for international aid and by delivering aid directly to Ukraine.
Szczerski noted that “over 9.5 million have crossed the border to Poland from Ukraine since February 24, 2022.”
He added: “In 2022, Poland spent over 9 billion USD - that is 1.5% of our GDP - on humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian refugees, according to recent OECD estimates.”
The Polish ambassador stressed: “This averages over 5600 USD per capita, making our country one of the major donors to Ukraine.”
‘Poland is a superpower of solidarity for Ukraine’
Szczerski added that Poland was helping Ukraine restore its infrastructure following Russian attacks, “by supplying Kyiv with hundreds of generators and other equipment, being the biggest provider of Starlink terminals and serving as a logistics hub for the European Union’s efforts to meet the needs of Ukraine’s energy sector.”
The Polish diplomat noted that over 1.5 million Ukrainians were currently under temporary protection in Poland, with more than 450,000 being in employment and 14,000 having set up their own companies.
Szczerski declared: “We are proud to be living up to our reputation as “a superpower of solidarity” and we won’t cease our efforts until victory is won and a just peace is achieved.”
‘Humanitarian efforts must improve’: UN official
Meanwhile, the UN’s humanitarian affairs chief warned the Security Council that “efforts must improve to reach nearly 18 million in need in war-torn Ukraine,” since Russia invaded the country last year.
Martin Griffiths said: “On the eve of the horrific one-year milestone, we have a lot to do and we can do better.”
“Nearly 40 per cent of Ukraine’s population needs assistance, against a backdrop of more than 7,000 civilian deaths and widespread devastation,” the official said as he briefed the UNSC on the current humanitarian situation on the ground.
Griffiths stressed that “Homes, schools and hospitals have been destroyed and entire cities heavily damaged.”
“This violence shows no signs of abating,” he added, mentioning recent Russian airstrikes and sharing scenes from his trip to Ukraine in December.
Tuesday is day 349 of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, news.un.org, press.un.org
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.