“In terms of humanitarian and reconstruction assitence to Ukraine, in 2022 Czechia provided to Ukraine and its refugees in Moldova total support over 1 billion CZK. This included the provision of shelter, clothes and other items for the population to endure winter. This year, we are continuing our humanitarian and stabilisation assistance, including modular housing, medical equipment and energy sources, and we plan to expand our support for the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine and bringing it closer to EU norms and standards," said Minister Jan Lipavský in his opening remarks.

The Czech diplomatic chief also highlighted the assistance from UN agencies, NGOs and civil society and thanked the donors from partner countries who have supported this effort with funds. The Minister also appreciated the response of Czech citizens who kindly offered accommodation, financial contributions and other forms of support very soon after the war broke out. Lipavský further recalled that Czechia, although not a direct neighbour, is still hosting the highest number of Ukrainian refugees per capita. More than 485,000 refugees, mostly women and children, have received temporary protection.

Human Rights Commissioner Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková and Pavla Novotná, Director of the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy at the Ministry of the Interior, then outlined the concrete response measures that have been taken vis-à-vis the refugee wave in Czechia. Cooperation between government institutions and international organisations has been a key element in dealing with the still ongoing situation. The UN agencies coordinated by the UNHCR also presented the Czech version of the international plan to assist Ukrainian refugees for 2023.

On behalf of partners and donors, the ambassadors of Japan, the USA and Sweden outlined how their countries are assisting the Ukrainian refugees on the territory of Czechia, as well as talked about the support to Ukraine itself, which, according to them, must not cease. At the end, Oleksandra Sashko, a representative of the NGO MRIYA, which helps Ukrainian refugees in Czechia, introduced a children's group of Ukrainian refugees that gave a powerful and moving theatre performance that visually referred to the horrors of war.