Karolina Lindholm Billing, a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Ukraine, stated that humanitarian aid to the country is decreasing while the needs have been growing for over two years. This was reported by Voice of America.
"Resources for providing humanitarian aid are significantly decreasing because the humanitarian needs due to these events are actually increasing. The most vulnerable populations will suffer from the reduction in funding and support", - emphasized Lindholm Billing.
The UN's humanitarian plan for Ukraine in 2024 amounts to $3.1 billion, including $599 million for UNHCR. However, in the first quarter of this year, both the global response plan and the UNHCR appeal were funded only at 15%, compared to 30% for the same period last year, said Lindholm Billing.
As the war drags on, turning into what she described as an "ultramarathon", she added that "cash and humanitarian aid—in the form of providing goods and services, housing assistance, home repairs, and psychosocial support—are now less frequent and less predictable".
She highlighted the impact of the russian forces' offensive in eastern Kharkiv oblast, which often leaves countless civilians without basic necessities such as electricity and water supply.
She noted that "those still living in these border settlements are usually elderly people". Lindholm Billing pointed out that many vulnerable individuals "simply do not have the resources or the means to start a new life somewhere in the central part of the country".
The UN representative also warned that if the number of displaced persons continues to rise, their reception and assistance will become a huge logistical challenge. "Of course, if 10,000 people turn into a million or more, this will obviously place a huge burden on the system", - she said.
Lindholm Billing noted that as the war continues and russia expands its offensive, "the greatest concern is the lack of any other choice for Ukrainians but to continue fleeing". She also warned that the international community "must not stop".