19th November 2024 marks the 1000th day of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The Russian attack began with the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. The unprovoked invasion on 24th February 2022 caused the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. Poland has been one of the top providers of political, humanitarian, financial and military support to Ukraine from the very beginning of the war. Our country is the undisputed leader in terms of percentage of GDP dedicated to aiding Ukraine (4.91%). 

Poland was the first to supply Ukraine with heavy weaponry on a massive scale. In total, we have so far provided Ukraine with military assistance equivalent to 3.23 billion EUR (over 14 billion PLN), including tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored transport vehicles. Moreover, Poland provided the Ukrainian Air Force with a total of 14 Polish MiG-29 fighter jets and 12 Mi-24 helicopters. Poland also supports wounded Ukrainian soldiers, supplying them with necessary medical care in Polish hospitals. 

Due to Poland’s geographical location, it is also the largest hub for delivering humanitarian and military aid to Ukrainian territory. In the first half of 2022 alone, over 80% of aid provided by the European Union (approx. 800 million EUR) was transported via the UCPM (Union Civil Protection Mechanism) logistics hub located in Poland. The total value of material aid sent through Poland during this period amounts to approx. 415 million EUR. 

Russian troops regularly attack  energy infrastructure in Ukraine.  According to the European Commission, 80-90% of Ukrainian heat production and 30-50% of its hydroelectric power plants have been destroyed in the past months. To improve the energy situation in Ukraine, a special rescEU Energy hub was established in Poland in 2023. Several thousand power generators, transformers and spare parts have been transported through the hub to Ukraine. 

According to UNHCR estimates, around 980,000 Ukrainian refugees currently reside in our country today, the majority of whom are women and children. Just one month after the outbreak of war, the Polish parliament adopted the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens in Connection with the Armed Conflict on the Territory of Ukraine, which allowed the Ukrainian refugees to be assigned a PESEL (Polish identification) number. This entitles them to benefit from a number of public services, receive family and child–rearing benefits, receive financial assistance and allowed access to free medical and psychological care. 

As many as 77% of Poles were engaged in helping Ukrainian refugees. Many of them took part in charities, volunteered on the Polish-Ukrainian border, and welcomed Ukrainian refugees under their roof. Thanks to the openness and kindness of the Polish people, not a single camp for Ukrainian refugees has been established in Poland to date.

Poland continuously supports Ukraine through political and diplomatic channels. On the day before the Russian attack, during a meeting in Kyiv with his Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nausėda, the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda announced that Ukraine deserved to be granted the status of a candidate country for membership in the European Union. Moreover, the President repeatedly called for accession of Ukraine to NATO.

Considering the high number of losses among the Ukrainian population, as well as the declining economic situation  caused by the unprovoked aggression of the Russian Federation, one of the tasks of utmost importance for future years will be to support Ukraine in its post-war reconstruction. The Polish government is already cooperating with the Ukrainian administration to rebuild medical infrastructure and public buildings destroyed in the war. Polish companies will also  be engaged in the reconstruction of Ukraine – within 8 months around 2000 firms interested in participating in the rebuilding process, including companies from the construction, energy, agri-food, pharmaceutical, and IT sectors, have been registered in the database of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH).

We kindly invite you to read a detailed report on Poland’s support for Ukraine under the following link: https://www.president.pl/news/polish-aid-for-ukraine,93908