When the army of the Russian Federation started an aggressive war against the Ukraine on 24th February 2022, a wave of solidarity arose, throughout the democratic world, with the heroic struggle of the Ukraine. In addition to the most important form of support to the besieged nation, highly effective modern weapons, the provision of humanitarian aid to the victims of this terrorist war and the civilian population affected by it is and will continue to be important. The criminal totalitarian Russian regime is also waging a bloody war against women and children. To escape from the conflict millions of them have left the Ukraine, primarily for the European Union.
From the beginning of the conflict, more than 700,000 Ukrainian citizens have crossed the Slovak border. The majority have been women and children looking for a safe haven. Many of them have travelled onwards beyond Slovakia, moving on to other countries, but more than 90,000 have asked for protection from the Slovak Republic. At the border, local governments and non-governmental organisations, supported by hundreds of dedicated volunteers, did a lot to support them as they crossed into Slovakia. The provision of accommodation, food, medical care and an education for children showed our growing willingness to help and this is a highly positive entry on Slovakia’s report card: as positive as the supply of weapons that contributed to the collapse of the aggressor’s plans for a quick victory. This spontaneous support for a democratic Ukraine, seen in demonstrations attended by many of our citizens in many cities throughout Slovakia, has raised the hopes of the refugees that the time will come when they will be able to return to their free homeland.
Peter Osuský
