The war unleashed by Russia has shown who are true friends of Ukraine. The Polish Government, Polish municipalities immediately, without unnecessary words and bureaucracy began to help our people, municipalities. Every step of Poland tells us a sense of shared responsibility for the fate of Ukraine, for the fate of Europe.

This was stated by Vyacheslav Nehoda, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development after a meeting with the Mayor of the Polish city of Łódź, Ms. Hanna Zdanowska.

“The city of Łódź, together with other Polish cities, has become a symbol of true friendship and brotherhood for us. I am proud to give you a hand, and through you – to all the people of Poland for the invaluable support of the Ukrainian people at such a difficult time,” said the Deputy Minister.

According to the city council, the city of Łódź with a population of almost 700 thousand people has already received about 100 thousand Ukrainians fleeing the war abroad.

“The name of your city is translated as a “boat”. And with the beginning of the Russian invasion, Łódź has really become a lifeboat for almost 100 Ukrainians. We are infinitely grateful to you for this, because we understand the increased load on your municipality. Despite the difficulties, we see how well you are working and how well the locals treat our people. I am sure that after the war, when Ukrainians return home, they will remember your city with warmth and gratitude, and will further visit your city for holidays, not for salvation,” said Vyacheslav Nehoda.

He also thanked the city of Łódź in the person of its Mayor for supporting Ukrainian twin cities – Lviv and Odesa – for all the humanitarian aid that citizens have already sent and are still collecting for the people of Ukraine who found themselves in difficult circumstances due to the war.

In turn, Ms. Hanna Zdanowska noted that the city council will continue to help Ukrainians.

“Łódź will shelter our friends from Ukraine as much as necessary. We will continue to share everything we have. Everything we are experiencing here is incomparable to what our colleagues in Ukraine are experiencing. We are proud of the courage of the leaders of Ukrainian municipalities, the resilience of the Ukrainian people. We believe in the victory of Ukraine, in the victory of the whole civilized world,” she said.