On Monday, the United Nations requested $4.2 billion in funding to assist those affected by the nearly two-year-long conflict in Ukraine and the millions of refugees who have sought refuge in neighboring countries.

The U.N. humanitarian agency and U.N. refugee agency issued a statement together, bringing attention to Russia’s recent airstrikes and the detrimental impact on civilians during the ongoing war. They also emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid due to harsh winter conditions.

According to UN aid chief Martin Griffiths, countless children residing in areas directly affected by war are living in fear, struggling with trauma, and lacking basic necessities. This crisis has resulted in frequent attacks on homes, schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructures such as water, gas, and power systems. The overall stability of society is being threatened with severe consequences. To address this issue, our plan involves collaboration with local non-governmental organizations and volunteers to provide comprehensive aid measures.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the United Nations reports that over 5.9 million Ukrainians have sought refuge in other European countries. Germany and Poland have the highest number of Ukrainian refugees, with approximately one million each. The Czech Republic has nearly 400,000 refugees, while Moldova, Slovakia, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Britain have over 100,000 refugees combined.

According to the United Nations, countries hosting Ukrainian refugees have provided generous assistance, but require additional support from the global community.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, host countries are working to provide protection and integration for refugees, but there are still many who require assistance. These vulnerable refugees should not feel pressured to return to their home countries if they are unable to support themselves in exile. It is important for all refugees to receive support and opportunities to utilize their skills and abilities, preparing them for a voluntary return when conditions improve.

Davos talks

83 countries’ national security advisors convened in Davos, Switzerland on Sunday, just before the start of the World Economic Forum. They were there to deliberate on Ukraine’s 10-point peace proposal, which outlines the conditions for resolving the conflict with Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, emphasized the significance of global assemblies, stating that “it is crucial to restore the rules-based system for all nations, without any exceptions.”

He claimed that the leaders of Russia think that by using violence and terror, they can impose a different type of order – one that is exploitative and lacks any rules or guarantees of security.

During the meeting, there were a total of 83 delegations in attendance, with 18 from Asia and 12 from Africa. This was a notable increase from the 65 delegations present at the previous round of talks in Malta in October.

Representatives from developing countries such as Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa participated in the discussions on national security. These nations, along with China and Russia, are members of the BRICS alliance.

The co-host of the Davos talks, Swiss Foreign Affairs Minister Ignazio Cassis, praised the attendees and recognized their potential to contribute significantly to the discussions.

Cassis emphasized the significance of the BRICS alliance’s involvement, given their connection to Russia. This collective effort could potentially involve distant nations in influencing China and Russia.

However, Cassis pointed out that China was not present at the discussions.

“It is important for China to be involved. We need to find ways to collaborate with China on this,” he stated during a press briefing in the middle of the negotiations.

Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff for Ukraine’s president, expressed approval for the growing participation of nations from the Global South in Ukraine’s peace initiatives. He reiterated Cassis’ statement on Sunday that it was crucial for China to be included in the talks regarding the “peace formula” progress.

It is uncertain whether the BRICS members support Zelenskyy’s proposal for peace, which includes Russia removing itself entirely from Ukrainian territories, taking responsibility for war crimes, and returning Ukrainian children who were abducted by Russia.

Russia, which was not invited to the meeting, controls a little less than one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. It has dismissed Kyiv’s “peace formula” as absurd as Ukraine aims to find peace without Moscow’s participation.

On Sunday, Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska stated that he believes it is improbable for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement before May 2025.

Deripaska expressed regret that there will be no opportunity for productive discussions about the state of affairs in Ukraine due to the absence of a Russian delegation, in a post on the messaging app Telegram.

At a press conference, Yermak stated that Ukraine would only accept Russia’s total withdrawal from all Ukrainian territories.

He stated that winning this war is the top priority for all Ukrainians.

The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters provided information for this report.

Source: voanews.com