Statement by David Miliband, IRC President and CEO, following visit to Ukraine

Brussels, Belgium, June 21, 2026 - Following a visit to Mykolaiv, Odesa and Kherson regions on 18-21 June 2026, International Rescue Committee President and CEO David Miliband said:

"I came to Ukraine to visit IRC staff and clients, cross-check the reality on the ground compared to the narrative of significant shifts in the balance of advantage in the war, and to mark World Refugee Day on June 20th. Ukraine remains a potent example of the New World Disorder, the threat to civilians as International Law is relegated in importance, and the human impact of one of the world's largest crises of forced displacement, with nearly 4 million people internally displaced and 6 million refugees in Europe and beyond.

"Every Ukrainian family has suffered loss and separation. I saw for myself the impact of daily Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, destroying homes and lives. I saw the visible scars of this war in the villages where homes, schools and churches were turned to rubble. The invisible scars surfaced when I spoke to bereaved mothers and communities who had endured the horrors of occupation.

"IRC services are focused on mobile health care, protection of children, support for women, and on mental health. Every day, people previously under occupation or fearing assault from the air are having their mental strength tested. That is one reason why we are committed to expand mental health and psychological support services which need to move from the margin to the mainstream.

"Ukraine is a reminder that wars are won or lost on morale, not just military flight, and the resolve of the Ukrainian people is being tested every single day. What has stayed with me is the tenacity of the Ukrainian people and the spirit that enables them to endure the disorder, the abnormal that has become normalised.

"The tenacity and staying power of the civilians - and NGO partners - I met stay with me. Older women talked about the humiliation and danger of occupation, and the reliance on support from NGOs close to the front line. At a time when international solidarity is being tested and in some places has crumbled, Ukraine's grinding crisis and the resolution of the Ukrainian people is a timely reminder of our shared humanity. The IRC remains committed to standing with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes, and we urge the international community to do the same: to stay with the people of Ukraine and help them survive, rebuild and recover."