David Cameron driving to Poland with nappies and first aid kits for Ukrainian refugees
David Cameron has revealed he is assisting the war effort by driving a van containing supplies for Ukrainian refugees to Poland.
Announcing his upcoming trip on social media on Friday, the former Conservative prime minister said he would be travelling with two colleagues from the Chippy Larder, a food project in west Oxfordshire with which he is believed to have volunteered for two years.
Mr Cameron said the project had collected enough donations for fleeing Ukrainian refugees “to fill a small lorry with everything from nappies to sanitary products, warm clothes to first aid kits”.
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Posting a picture of himself at the wheel of the vehicle, the former Conservative leader said: “It is going to be a long drive, but I’ll keep you updated along the way #StandWithUkraine.”
Speaking to Channel 4 this week, Mr Cameron called for more humanitarian help to be given back to Ukraine.
“Let’s do more on humanitarian aid,” he told the broadcaster.
“We achieved 0.7% of GDP in our aid payments. I’m sad we’ve got away from that. I hope we can get back there.
“Let’s – with the EU – lead the donor conference, lead the aid effort. Let’s have a dedicated aid minister in the Cabinet doing development.
“The Foreign Office ministers do a great job but it’d be good to have someone who’s 100% dedicated to humanitarian aid and development.”
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has promised to return to UK’s international aid contributions to 0.7% by the end of this Parliament.
Meanwhile, videos posted online of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol – subjected to three weeks of Russian siege and shelling which the Red Cross says has caused “apocalyptic” destruction – show civilian areas left unrecognisable by the bombing.
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• Chinese President Xi Jinping tells Joe Biden he wants end to ‘war’ as soon as possible
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• More than 150,000 British people register interest in housing refugees as Homes for Ukraine scheme launches
More than 350,000 people are sheltering in the besieged southeastern port city, officials said, with no access to food or water.
One video showed a shopping centre reduced to ruins, with the windows shattered and rubble strewn across the ground.
Sky News has located and verified this videos to the PortCity shopping mall (which emerged on social media on Friday).
Ukrainian authorities say about 90% of buildings in the city have been damaged or destroyed.
