Paweł Jabłoński made the appeal at a media briefing on Wednesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
He told reporters that Poland had already welcomed more than 2.6 million people displaced by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Moreover, “we are sending to Ukraine whatever has been collected in Poland, thanks to the enormous generosity of Polish society, Polish NGOs, companies and parishes,” he added.
'We need significantly more support' from EU
Jabłoński said that, in the face of “the biggest refugee crisis since World War II,” the burden of helping those affected by the Russian invasion “shouldn’t be borne only by Ukraine’s neighbours.”
“We are pleased with the support of many international partners, but we need significantly more support from the European Union,” he stated.
He warned that “failing to provide additional funding to the countries that welcome refugees would seriously jeopardise basic European values.”
According to Jabłoński, these include “human life, dignity, freedom, the right to live in peace, the right to live without violence, independence and territorial integrity.”
He said: “These values are being defended in Ukraine, but also by the countries that are helping Ukraine."
‘Russia must pay for this war’
Jabłoński told reporters that Poland wanted the EU to "raise the necessary resources" by “confiscating the wealth of Russian oligarchs, confiscating the reserves of the Russian Federation, and seizing the assets of the Russian state, which is responsible for this war.”
Refugees from war-torn Ukraine arrive at a humanitarian aid centre in Przemyśl, southeastern Poland, earlier this month. Photo: PAP/Darek Delmanowicz
"Russia must pay for this war - these funds must be allocated for the reconstruction of Ukraine and for supporting the countries that welcome refugees,” he added.
Polish proposal
According to Jabłoński, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has outlined such a proposal to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and "to all European capitals."
“We hope it will be possible to implement this plan,” Jabłoński told reporters.
He also said that Polish lawmakers were working on a sanctions bill that would allow the government to freeze the assets of people and businesses supporting Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Thursday is day 50 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Poland on Wednesday reported it had welcomed 2.7 million refugees fleeing Russia's attack on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP