Last week, as part of a sustained political action, François Decoster, President of the Renew Europe Group’s delegation to the Committee of Regions (CoR), and the Presidents of the delegations of the other political groups, gathered on a fact-finding mission in Poland to assess the needs of local communities and help shape measures to address the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

“More than 500.000 Ukrainians transited through Rzeszów since 24 February. The municipality and many volunteers organised themselves in a few hours to ensure a human welcome. Today we have come to thank them for having illustrated both the commitment of local authorities to provide the necessary relief to more than 4 million Ukrainians who have had to flee their country, and the European spirit, implementing a true solidarity and engagement through tools put in place by the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions”, he said.

You can help too!

The European Committee of the Regions also launched an Info-Support Hub to match needs and offers of support. EU local and regional authorities who want to offer help or need support can contact the hub here.

People or communities who want to help displaced Ukrainian people can consult this “Guide for community Leads” by Mary Meaney and a large network of volunteers around Saint-Omer, France, whose Mayor is Decoster. The guide includes key considerations on whether to take on the role, the most important steps before the arrival of Ukrainian displaced people and detailed advice for what to do at each stage. The guide is available in English and French.