Warsaw plans to host a meeting on Monday of regional ministers responsible for dealing with Ukrainian refugees to better coordinate efforts to help the millions who have escaped the war.
Paweł Szefernaker, Poland’s deputy interior minister who is also responsible for helping Ukrainian refugees, told POLITICO that the ministers will exchange their national experiences.
“In our countries we have many new challenges, some of the issues require systemic solutions,” he said, citing adjusting labor markets, school systems, and childcare to accommodate refugees. “The meeting will be the first such a forum to exchange information and experience linked to the stay and adaptation of Ukrainian war refugees in our countries.”
The meeting will be attended by ministers from countries that border Ukraine — Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova — as well as countries that have experienced a big inflow of refugees, such as the U.K., Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, will also be present.
Szefernaker said he hopes the meeting could be a recurring initiative.
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, 5.7 million Ukrainians — mostly women and children — have fled their country, according to the UNHCR.
More than 3 million entered Poland. While many have moved further west or have returned to Ukraine, the Polish government estimates that around 1.6 million people want to stay for longer.
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