US Ambassador to Poland on potential Ukrainian refugee 'capacity issue' in country
U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzezinski, says Poland taken in 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees in past three weeks.
The United States Ambassador to Poland, Mark Brzezinski, said on Sunday that the country, which has taken in 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees in past three weeks, is committed to Ukraine’s "freedom and sovereignty."
Speaking to "Fox News Live" from Warsaw, he noted that in that city alone there are 300,000 Ukrainian refugees, which he said accounts for 10% of the city’s population.
He stressed that Poland, which has accepted the vast majority of the refugees, is "committed to tough sanctions" and "supporting the Ukrainian people."
Russia's lack of swift victory, international condemnation, and economic sanctions along with devastation and civilian losses across Ukraine have brought both countries to the negotiation table, but fighting — including a critical struggle for the city of Mariupol — continues.
WIDE RIFT IN RUSSIA, UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS COULD MEAN DRAWN OUT WAR THAT FAVORS PUTIN: EXPERTS SAY
Russia's army has been repeatedly stalled by Ukraine's military determination and will to save their homeland, resulting in a slowed attack and severe losses for Russia.
Displaced people rest at a makeshift shelter in Mlyny, near the Korczowa border crossing, in Poland, Thursday, March 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Brzezinski said it is uncertain how long the war will last and that "we don’t know what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will do next," but "in the meantime, tough sanctions [and] supporting the refugees is the approach the Poles, with the support by the Americans, is taking."
ZELENSKYY ADVISOR SAYS THE WAR COULD BE NEARING AN END IN THE NEXT 2-3 WEEKS: LIVE UPDATES
He acknowledged that "Poland has taken on enormous weight and responsibility" by accepting large number of Ukrainian refugees.
"At this point, I can report to you that this country has this in hand, although it needs and welcomes resources through its lead NGOs [nonprofit organizations] and charities," Brzezinski said, noting that that includes the Polish Red Cross.
"But, quite frankly, it will be a capacity issue," he added. "And the hope for all the people who are coming here is that they can return to Ukraine. That’s why they’re staying close to Ukraine in Poland and not going further west to Germany, to France, to Spain."
He noted that the Ukrainian refuges prefer to stay in Poland so that "they can go back to their homes quickly and start rebuilding" when the war is over.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Late last month, President Biden called Putin "a butcher" after he met with displaced Ukrainian mothers and their children in Warsaw, Poland.