Matthew Saltmarsh, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), confirmed on Tuesday that about 16.9 million people in Ukraine urgently need humanitarian support. He emphasized the need for continued humanitarian funding to respond to the urgent needs in frontline areas and support those affected by the war.
In a press conference held today in Geneva, the spokesperson noted that people are already working to rebuild their homes and lives in parts of the country less exposed to direct hostilities, even as the war continues with no end in sight. He pointed out that about 6.3 million refugees from Ukraine remain displaced from their homes nearly two years after the Russian invasion of the country, with the majority (5.9 million) across Europe, in addition to about 3.7 million internally displaced persons; making Ukraine one of the largest refugee-producing countries.
He referred to a series of surveys conducted by the international organization to assess and highlight the challenges faced by Ukrainian refugees in exile. He mentioned, “While the majority hope to return to Ukraine one day, only 14% plan to do so in the near future, as security concerns remain paramount alongside access to basic services, housing, and livelihoods.”
The spokesperson added that the majority of Ukrainian refugees plan to stay in their current host country, where they need ongoing support from host governments and the international community to meet their basic needs, access essential services, build self-reliance, and integrate effectively into host communities.
The UNHCR reported that it will launch, along with the United Nations, a humanitarian response plan for Ukrainians inside the country and Ukrainian refugees next Monday. This plan includes 312 different partners supporting host governments in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The agency warned that without renewed support from the international community for the situation in Ukraine, it might have to cut essential activities in the country and neighboring countries.
