Millions of Ukrainian refugees must one day return to rebuild post-war Ukraine. It is about almost 8 million citizens who are temporarily displaced. President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) Paul Grod stated this in an interview with L’Express during his visit to France.
Paul Grod visited Paris at the end of May as part of an international tour of European countries. The President of UWC met with local politicians and intellectuals. The key discussion topics were Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO, recognition of Russia as a terrorist country, and support for Ukrainian forced migrants. The meeting with the Ukrainian community was especially warm. “As everywhere, the adaptation of Ukrainians in France is going well,” Grod concluded.
The UWC President also discussed the future after the Ukrainian victory with the French media. “When the time comes, Ukraine will need its citizens to return home,” Grod emphasized. Therefore, it is important for citizens to maintain a connection with the Motherland, in particular, through the Ukrainian language and preserving the memory of their culture, the president of the Ukrainian World Congress added
At the same time, most of the newly arrived Ukrainians are already constantly helping Ukraine from abroad. Diaspora organizes fundraising campaigns or joins existing ones. In particular, the UWC’s Unite with Ukraine campaign raised funds in 70 countries and provided more than USD 40 million in non-lethal military aid to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“We also supported the [Ukrainian] state platform United24, which, among other things, helped buy drones [for the Armed Forces]. Civil society has already raised several hundred million dollars around the world to purchase non-lethal military equipment (helmets, drones, medical kits, armored personnel carriers, etc.). Many initiatives were created for this purpose,” Grod explained.
Cover: Ukrinform
