GENEVA (Reuters) – The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) emphasized the importance of the United States continuing to provide funding for humanitarian agencies in order to address the refugee crisis resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
UNHCR has requested $993 million to support its response to the crisis that arose from the invasion, which will mark its second anniversary on Saturday.
Of the total amount, $600 million has been allocated for repairing homes and delivering aid to facilitate the return of displaced individuals. However, only 13% of the appeal has been funded thus far.
Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR Regional Director for Europe, emphasized the importance of the situation in the U.S., which is the agency’s primary global funder. He noted that the State Department is expected to receive additional budget options, including for aid to Ukraine, which is pending approval from Congress. A portion of this support could potentially benefit UNHCR and other U.N. agencies assisting refugees in Ukraine.
Leclerc also highlighted the United States as the largest contributor to UNHCR’s budget, followed by the European Union, Germany, and Japan.
As a result of Russia’s invasion, approximately 6.3 million people from Ukraine have been displaced abroad, with an additional 3.7 million internally displaced, according to UNHCR.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is working to locate 23,000 individuals – both from Ukraine and Russia – whose families have been unable to establish contact with them. The absence of communication could be due to capture, death, or loss of contact following their departure from their homes.
Leclerc reported that many Ukrainian refugees have expressed a desire to return home, but ongoing missile attacks and uncertain economic prospects have hindered their ability to do so. UNHCR is prioritizing the repair of homes to address this issue.
“As long as the war continues, we will require the same generosity that we have witnessed from people all around the world to support Ukraine,” Leclerc stated.
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Nick Macfie)
