8 ways to help Ukraine as a foreigner now
(Updated on March 09 2022)
Don’t feel helpless, you can help. Here is a list of things you can do to help Ukraine
When we were kids in the nineties, once we were taken into a bomb shelter underneath my school so that we knew where it was and what to do in case of war. We laughed, it was confusing and funny then. Now my friends are messaging me from bomb shelters and their homes back in Ukraine. They’re preparing Bandera’s uzvar (earlier known as Molotov cocktails), practicing to use rifles, fighting the occupants with bravery and hope, protecting the rest of the world from the Russian dictator.
Right now no one is safe in Ukraine. No one is safe in the world either. But people are fighting and holding positions and fighting for their towns and villages pushing the Russian army back. We shall win, because the truth is with us. But we do need the world to get together to help us.
You may feel powerless in this situation so I’m writing this to tell you that you’re not.
There is a number of ways to support Ukraine and do your little bit:
1.Contact your members of parliament — write a letter asking to impose strict financial sanctions on Putin and his surrounding and get NATO to shelter our sky from their planes, missiles and helicopters (just like they did in Israel). Ukrainian soldiers will deal with them on the soil, but we do need your help. Here is a draft created in four languages by Ukrainian Institute in London, as well as the list of the UK MPs.
2. Show up to demonstrations to support Ukraine and get your governments to help. It’s our duty to demand from our governments to help Ukraine NOW:
– to introduce a no-fly zone over Ukraine
– to sanction Putin as a war criminal and terrorist
– to introduce UN/OSCE peacekeepers.
Being there shows support and gives hope to the people and pressures your governments. It means a lot. It does a lot.
3. Donate to support the people and the army
To support the army
The National Bank of Ukraine has opened a special fundraising account to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine — here is the official link from the NBU.
The charity fund Come Back Alive (“Повернись живим”) is one of the largest charity organisations in Ukraine helping the army. In December 2021, the group provided $207,000 worth of aid to the Ukrainian Army. The initiative provides detailed reports and regular updates on their activities on their website and Facebook page.
Army SOS Citizens Initiative https://armysos.com.ua/en coordinates people’s efforts to help soldiers of Ukraine. They manage purchases of necessary ammunition, shields, intercommunication and reconnaissance facilities, uniforms and food supply
Humanitarian and medical aid
Here is a list of trusted charities in the UK.
4. Sign and share petitions (updated)
- Pledge military support from the UK to defend Ukraine
- Expel Russia from the UN Security Council and send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine
- Allow Ukrainians with family in the UK to enter the UK without a visa — at the moment only families of British nationals and residents who are settled or have have a pre-settled status in the UK can join them. For those who have been working and studying in the UK legally for a while but are not yet settled or have a pre-settled status, their families cannot join them in the UK.
Update: the petition “People all over the world are asking NATO to close the airspace over Ukraine” was submitted to the NATO Military Administration Europe on March 04 2022: shapepao@shape.nato.int
NATO press office: MOC@hq.nato.int // phone: +32 2 707 5041 and press.office@consilium.europa.eu // phone: +32 2 281 63 19
Update: the petition “Wave visa requirement for Ukrainian refugees” will be debated in the Parliament on March 14 2022. Thank you so much those who’ve signed it!
5. Find volunteers collecting help for refugees and military and help them financially/with items they need and/or by joining them — ask your Ukrainian friends how to find these, come to a Ukrainian cultural centre/social club in your area or find one on social media.
Here is the list of collection points of humanitarian and medical aid in London. Their needs are constantly changing so ask them what they need most of all right now.
6. Foreigners can now join Ukrainians to fight to protect the world’s peace — contact the Embassy of Ukraine in your country to join the international legion.
7. Help Ukrainian refugees arriving to your country
Find local initiatives and help people with housing, jobs, transportation, translation, legal counselling etc.
If you want to help Ukrainian refugees in the UK, please fill in this Google form, giving details for what sort of assistance you are willing to provide.
8. Tell your friends about what’s happening and how they can help — some people are so shocked and worry so much they just can’t see the options!
Don’t feel helpless. Keep doing any little bit you can — being proactive is so much better than sit back, let the fear and worries overwhelm you and do nothing at all as a result.
This is the end of Putin!
