Poland must prepare for potential influx of more Ukrainian refugees
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Millions of Ukrainian refugees could flee to Poland as a result of a renewed Russian offensive, said Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna in an interview with Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita on Jan. 15.
"We can't rule out the possibility that a Russian offensive might shift the front westward, leading to another wave of Ukrainian arrivals in Poland, mainly women and children," explained Szejna.
An influx of refugees would impose a significant burden, for which Poland needed to be prepared, he said.
Beginning on Jan. 1, 2024, Poland increased financial assistance for Ukrainian refugees with children under 18 who are beneficiaries of the 500+ program.
Taiwan has also reportedly contributed $1 million to the Union of Polish Metropolises to fund projects aiding Ukrainian refugees.
2023 saw over 32 million border crossings between Poland and Ukraine, with only a small difference between the number of departures and returns, according to OpenDataBot, citing data from the Ukrainian Border Guard.
Oleksiy Antypovych, the director of the sociological service, Rating, remarked in an interview with BBC Ukraine that, although most Ukrainian refugees express a desire to return to Ukraine, only about a third are expected to do so.
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