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Global fundraiser raises over €9 billion for Ukrainian refugees

Global fundraiser raises over €9 billion for Ukrainian refugees

by host

The global fundraising campaign Stand Up for Ukraine, held on Saturday in Warsaw, received €9.1 billion for Ukrainian refugees.

The European Commission and Canada on March 25 launched the campaign in response to a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The aim was to mobilize governments, celebrities and individuals to support refugee aid efforts in Ukraine and neighboring countries. The advocacy organization Global Citizen is a partner in the campaign.

According to the latest numbers from the U.N.’s refugee agency, over 4.4 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war on February 24.

Out of the €9.1 billion raised, €7.3 billion is earmarked for hosting refugees in EU member states or Ukraine’s neighboring countries. The rest of the funding will be used to provide humanitarian aid to people who remain in Ukraine, but are internally displaced.

The campaign included a social media rally on Friday, followed by the event on Saturday in Poland, which has welcomed over 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who visited Kyiv on Friday, attended the event hosted by Polish Prime Minister Andrzej Duda — while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined them remotely.

The EU pledged €1 billion — with an additional €1 billion in loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A little over €4 billion of the total sum are donations from around the world, while €5 billion are loans and grants from public financial institutions like the European Investment Bank (EIB).

“We will continue providing support. And once the bombs have stopped falling, we will help the people of Ukraine rebuild their country,” von der Leyen said.

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