BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Ukrainian and Polish communities of Western New York stood together Saturday, for a night of solidarity against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Adrian Kubicki, the Consul General of Poland in New York, spoke at the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center, voicing his support of the Ukrainian forces fighting Russia.
“As you may know, Poland, and Polish people, are very vocal for Ukrainian people to fight in this war and to win this war,” he said. “This war that has been caused by Russians, by Mr. Putin. Senseless and unprecedented war.”
“We are everywhere where we can to show our support to Ukranian people,” he said. “Polonia — Polish diaspora here in Buffalo and in other places [are] very much involved in raising funds to support Ukrainians.”
County Executive Mark Poloncarz said it’s important to show the local community, as well as the country of Ukraine, that we stand in solidarity.
“There’s a strong Ukrainian-American population here in Buffalo, just like there’s a strong Polish-American population,” Poloncarz said. “And we want the Ukrainians in our community, as well as elsewhere, know that we stand with them.”
Both communities have locked arms for an annual event ever since Russian aggression back in 2014. Poland has accepted more than two million Ukrainian refugees in the last month, and more are expected. News 4’s Don Postles was at the event as the master of ceremonies.