Speeches Shim
The U.S. Government’s partnership with the people of Ukraine is steadfast and enduring, and USAID remains committed to supporting Ukraine and its people in this current crisis. We have worked closely with Ukraine, our European allies, and humanitarian assistance partners to prepare for the emergency that this war has caused and meet immediate and growing humanitarian needs.
USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team—our nation’s finest humanitarian responders—to the region to support the Ukrainian people as they flee Russia’s aggression and to rapidly address critical needs that arise due to ongoing conflict. We have already responded to a range of needs in the lead-up to the invasion, from energy security to countering disinformation to cybersecurity support as Russia attempts to disrupt critical infrastructure and communications. We will continue to assess and ramp up access to primary and trauma medical care, food, and clean water. USAID is also working closely with the U.S. State Department to support Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring countries.
Last updated: April 12, 2022
Today, Administrator Power and her delegation, which included senior leadership of the Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration, met in Brussels, Belgium, with senior European Union (EU) officials and representatives of EU member states to discuss coordinated efforts to respond to the humanitarian crisis resulting from Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
I think the front-line states, those countries bordering Ukraine, including Poland, where I've just come from, are doing everything in their power to position everything from diapers and strollers to hot meals to water to warm blankets. But the real challenge is on the Ukrainian side of the border, where people are just backing up.
I am amazed and heartened by just the extent to which this is a no-brainer for the European Union right now and the member states within it. I met today in Brussels with the Ambassadors of Romania, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia - they’re the frontline states along with Poland where the refugees come to first.
In terms of the humanitarian response, I do think that opening up a corridor for the people of Kyiv, you will start to see some flow out. And our planning assumptions range, there's a very wide range, but I think it would not be crazy, if the war were to continue, to see as many as you know, three to 5 million people flowing into these neighboring countries. So, getting this flow going and ensuring that the welcome mat, that the arrivals are receiving in each of the frontline countries, that that continues.
Yesterday in Poland, Administrator Power met with Major General Chris Donahue and members of the 82nd Airborne Division, who briefed the Administrator and members of her delegation, including senior leadership of the Department of State’s Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration, on the situation in Ukraine. Russian military strikes have hit civilian facilities and critical non-military infrastructure, including at least one hospital, an orphanage, and multiple kindergartens. As the conflict intensifies, especially in urban areas, civilians will bear the brunt and continue to seek safety in Poland and other neighboring countries.
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