- Israel-Hamas war causes 86-percent dive in Gaza GDP: IMF
- Milan's Morata moves house after Inter-fan town mayor 'violates' privacy
- 'Devastating' storm hits Augusta National but Masters will go on
- Relief in Brazil, Asia over delay to EU deforestation rules
- Oil prices jump, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Biden says 'discussing' possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities
- Oil prices rise, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Oil rallies, stocks mostly retreat on Middle East tensions
- Phasing out teen smoking could save 1.2 mn lives: study
- 'Welcome relief': Asia producers hail EU deforestation law delay
- Japan PM slated to announce plans for 'happiness index'
- Turkish inflation falls less than expected in September at 49.4%
- Easing inflation lifts profit at UK supermarket Tesco
- Skiing calls on UN climate science to combat melting future
- China wine industry looks to breed climate resilience
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong drops after surge
- Dutch airline KLM unveils 'firm' cost-cutting measures
- Carpe diem: the Costa Rican women turning fish into fashion
- Senegal looks to aquaculture as fish stocks dwindle
- Will AI one day win a Nobel Prize?
- Climate change, economics muddy West's drive to curb Chinese EVs
- Argentina's Milei vetoes university budget after huge protests
- TotalEnergies plans to grow oil and gas production until 2030
- 2024 Nobels offer glimmer of hope as global crises mount
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong reverses after surge
- Tunisia readies for vote as incumbent Saied eyes victory
- High childcare costs in US weigh on women's employment
- US voters seek help with crushing childcare costs
- Taiwan shuts down for second day as Typhoon Krathon to land
- Supercharged storms: how climate change amplifies cyclones
- Biden official urges talks as US port strike enters second day
- Huge protests in Argentina over public university cuts
- Rally in oil prices loses steam on mixed day for global stocks
- South America treated to rare 'ring of fire' eclipse
- Biden official says port strike deal not as far as parties think
- Mexico's new president offers apology for 1968 student massacre
- Historic funding round values OpenAI at $157 billion
- Mixed US car sales in Q3 as industry hopes for post-election bounce
- Thunderstorms are a 'boiling pot' of gamma rays, scientists find
- Scientists unlock secret of 'Girl With Pearl Earring'
- Dolphins flash friendly grins when they're ready to play
- Facing backlash, EU moves to delay deforestation rules
- US private sector adds more jobs than expected in September: ADP
- Boys out of critical condition after Zurich stabbings
- Spain logs record summer tourism as inflow draws protests
- Hedi Slimane quits as Celine's artistic director
- Oil prices extend rally on Iran attack
- Spain welcomed record number of tourists this summer
- France says coming tax hikes on the wealthy to be 'temporary'
- Why are Thailand's roads so deadly?
CMSC | -0.08% | 24.76 | $ | |
BCC | -1.38% | 137.63 | $ | |
JRI | -0.6% | 13.3 | $ | |
SCS | -1.62% | 12.665 | $ | |
RIO | -1.58% | 69.72 | $ | |
NGG | -2.53% | 67.085 | $ | |
CMSD | -0% | 24.929 | $ | |
GSK | -3.08% | 38.27 | $ | |
BTI | -2.58% | 35.065 | $ | |
AZN | -1.86% | 78.125 | $ | |
RBGPF | -1.35% | 59.99 | $ | |
RYCEF | 1.15% | 6.98 | $ | |
BCE | -1.74% | 33.85 | $ | |
VOD | -0.41% | 9.7 | $ | |
RELX | -1.7% | 46.5 | $ | |
BP | 0.4% | 32.5 | $ |
War fatigue, Europe inflation hit Ukraine aid response
Ruslana Hrytskiv has helped "dozens, maybe hundreds" of refugees since Russia invaded Ukraine, but her task is getting tougher as war fatigue sets in and Europe battles soaring prices and record inflation.
When she tried to find shoes for Ukrainian children on Facebook this week, she found herself entangled instead in a debate on the health aspects of wearing second-hand footwear.
Her argument that the mother, who gave birth to a third child en route to Prague, simply could not afford something new for her twins failed to impress.
"The response is slower than it used to be," said Hrytskiv, a Ukrainian who has lived in the Czech Republic for over two decades.
"At the beginning, people were unexpectedly forthcoming," she noted.
Hrytskiv's experience is echoed by aid organisations across eastern Europe, which has welcomed hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees, mostly women with children.
Like the rest of the continent, the region is grappling with runaway prices that make people think twice about their spending.
The record-high inflation, which reached 15.6 percent in Poland in June for instance, is fuelled by a spike in energy prices due largely to the Russian invasion that began on February 24.
"We can see somewhat less interest now in helping than at the beginning of the war," said Eszter Bakondi-Kiss, a volunteer with the Hungarian Habitat for Humanity group coordinating refugee accommodation.
"We received far more offers or applications to be a part of these programmes then," she told AFP.
Almost five months into the conflict, those helping Ukrainian refugees detect a slowing aid response as the region battles soaring living costs.
- Economic woes -
In neighbouring Slovakia, the People In Need aid group has seen donations fall from 650,000 euros ($661,000) in February and March to 85,000 euros in May, said spokeswoman Simona Stiskalova.
"This is only natural. When the cause is hot, there's interest in the beginning and then this interest dwindles," said Svilena Georgieva, head of the Bulgarian foundation Za Dobroto.
"But 90 percent of the funds we receive are still for the Ukraine campaign," she told AFP.
For Prague sociologist Daniel Prokop the number of people threatened with poverty is growing.
"And there may be concerns that aid to Ukraine would actually overshadow aid to locals," he told AFP.
Klara Splichalova, head of the Prague-based Donors Forum, said that although donations had been more substantial when the war started, the inflow of funds was nowhere near drying out.
"And since no peaceful solution seems to be in sight, people are aware it is necessary to help in the long term and repeatedly."
Lavinia Varodi, from the Save the Children Fund in Romania, said individuals and companies were giving less because they "have exhausted their budgets".
"What remains are organisations that are larger and allocate special funds for this category," she told AFP.
Agnes Baranyai, a volunteer at a Budapest hostel hosting refugees, blamed the diminished willingness to help in part on summer holidays.
- Changing needs -
"Everyone wants to return a little to living their own lives," she said.
Another factor was fewer incoming refugees.
"The will to help remains the same but the needs are changing," said Dominika Pszczolkowska, migration researcher at the University of Warsaw.
"The Ukrainians are now trying to integrate into the labour market and they do not seek social benefits, which is appreciated by Poles," she told AFP.
Nearly 300,000 Ukrainian war refugees have found a job in Poland, albeit often below their education or skill level.
Poland has handled 4.5 million refugees altogether, with some staying and others moving to other countries.
"Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Poland on account of the war... are plugging the gaps in certain sectors," Poland's family ministry said on Friday.
The smaller Czech Republic has provided jobs to 77,000 out of nearly 400,000 Ukrainian refugees.
They include a mother-of-two from Odessa, accommodated by Hrytskiv shortly after the invasion, who now works at a bakery in another town.
"Companies don't want to give them long-term contracts, which is a bit of a problem, but they give them jobs at once," said Hrytskiv, who is now hosting another refugee.
"I'm always ready to start the car and go and help. I can see how grateful they are, and that's the best reward."
burs-frj-amj/bp
M.Anderson--CPN