"I was aware of the generosity, hospitality and solidarity of the Montenegrin people and today I witnessed it all, as I spoke with the Ukrainian refugees who have found shelter in Budva and Bar", European Union Ambassador Oana Cristina Popa said today, as she visited Budva and Bar, the two Montenegrin municipalities with the largest number of Ukrainian refugees.

Together with Natalya Fiyalka, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Ukraine in Montenegro, Ambassador Popa spoke with representatives of the local authorities, Ministry of the Interior, Police Directorate, UNHCR and the Red Cross about challenges and plans to take in Ukrainian refugees.

"This is a moment of truth for Europe. We must stand together against the brutal aggression of an autocratic regime against a peaceful sovereign nation. That is why I applaud Montenegro's commitment to stand with the European Union in providing shelter and protection to Ukrainian refugees. This is the same spirit of solidarity that we have seen in the European Union," the EU Ambassador said.

She noted that since the beginning of the Russian aggression, more than 3.8 million Ukrainians have arrived in the EU, mostly women and children. "The European Union has quickly provided 90 million euros for emergency aid programs. We provided food, water, shelter and help for the basic needs of those affected by the war. Member States have provided Ukrainian refugees with a secure status and access to schools, medical care and work," Popa said.

The Ambassador pointed out that the European Union will continue to support Montenegrin local and national authorities, as well as international partners, in the joint effort to provide shelter and protection to Ukrainian refugees. She announced that over the course of the next three years, the European Union plans to invest 355 million euros to support migration management and asylum systems in the Western Balkans. "We will continue to stand united against injustice and aggression until Ukraine is free again," the Ambassador concluded.

Natalya Fiyalka, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Ukraine in Montenegro, noted that millions of Ukrainians today share the same fate, being forced to flee the war waged by Russia. "Many of them have found refuge  in Montenegro, where they have been welcomed by Montenegrins. The Embassy of Ukraine, together with the authorities in Montenegro, international organisations and partners, is working hard to meet the basic needs of Ukrainian refugees and ensure that they feel welcome and integrated into Montenegrin society," she said.