Poland has requested €2.2 billion from the European Union (EU) to cover the cost of housing and caring for refugees arriving from Ukraine as a result of the Russia-instigated war, Polish Deputy Interior Minister Blazej Pobozy said.
Speaking to Polish public broadcaster TVP Info, Pobozy assured that the bloc must not delay the requested aid.
He added that the refugees were given national identification numbers to gain access to the country’s health and education systems, as well as the labor market. Almost 500,000 refugees have been taken care of so far, 96 percent of whom are women and children, he said.
According to the UN, Poland is currently hosting more than 2.36 million Ukrainian refugees.
Separately, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met in Warsaw to discuss possible steps to end the war.
See also: UN announces that four million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war
Poland’s Presidential Spokesman Piotr Muller said on Twitter that senior officials had discussed tougher sanctions against Russia and international support for Ukraine’s future reconstruction.
“We are taking further steps to strengthen Europe’s security,” said Muller.
Kuleba thanked the Polish people for welcoming their citizens more than any other country during the conflict.
The war between Russia and Ukraine began on February 24. The European Union (EU), the United States and the United Kingdom, among others, have imposed tough financial sanctions on Moscow, and several multinational companies have suspended operations in Russia over the conflict.
At least 1,189 civilians have been killed and 1,901 injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures, which warn the true figure is likely to be much higher.
More than four million Ukrainians have fled the country because of the conflict, and millions more have been internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.
*Aicha Sandoval Alaguna contributed to the writing of this article.
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