Zelenskyy Honors Polish Humanitarian Organization Uniters for Decade of Dedication

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with volunteers from the Uniters Foundation in Warsaw and awarded its founder the "Golden Heart" distinction for long-standing support to Ukraine.

The Gaze reports on this, referring to the Office of the President of Ukraine.

During the meeting, Zelenskyy spoke with the founders and staff of Uniters, a foundation that has been engaged in volunteer work for over 10 years, starting from the Revolution of Dignity and the onset of Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine in 2014. He thanked the volunteers for their dedicated work and contribution to the safety and well-being of Ukraine.

“I want to first of all thank you for your work and for the part of your life that you give personally. And to your entire team – for such a contribution to the struggle for the life of Ukraine. It is very important when each person does something for Ukraine in their own place,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.

The "Golden Heart" award was presented to Uniters’ head, Halyna Andrushkov, who noted that this distinction symbolizes gratitude to all the foundation’s volunteers. She highlighted the importance of state support and recognition of their work.

“It is important that Ukraine is grateful, that Ukraine truly values what volunteers do. I dedicate this heart to each and every one of them. Thank you,” she said.

The UNITERS Foundation (United Volunteers) from Warsaw is one of the largest volunteer organizations in Poland, bringing together around 3,000 volunteers from Ukraine and Poland. The initiative was founded in 2014 by Viktoriya Batryn and Halyna Andrushkov during the Maidan to assist injured Ukrainians in Poland. 

Over time, the foundation expanded its activities to support children of military personnel and volunteers who were killed or wounded, implementing recurring projects, including “Holiday Without a Father” – an annual distribution of Christmas and New Year gifts to the children of Ukrainian heroes. For their work, the founders and Polish partners have received numerous awards from Ukrainian and Polish organizations for their patriotism and dedication.

With the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, UNITERS significantly expanded the scope of its activities. The foundation provided urgent support to Ukrainian military personnel, territorial defense units, medical facilities, and paramedics, sending humanitarian shipments to Ukraine daily. Since February 24, 2022, the foundation has delivered tens of thousands of tons of aid, including medicine, medical equipment, tactical kits, food, and clothing.

In addition to direct support on the frontlines, UNITERS actively assists Ukrainian refugees in Poland and children remaining in frontline regions. The foundation organizes charity fairs under the patronage of the First Lady of Poland, where products made by Ukrainian children and women are sold, and the proceeds go toward gifts and support for the children. 

This award ceremony took place against the backdrop of the long-awaited visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Poland, where he met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. 

During the visit, both leaders emphasized the importance of stronger bilateral relations, mutual respect for each country’s history, and the shared responsibility for security and stability in Central and Eastern Europe. They also discussed practical cooperation, including potential transfers of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, highlighting a deepening strategic partnership between the two nations.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Poland is planning to launch production of the Ukrainian Seawolf surface drone due to large-scale investments by the Norwegian defense company Kongsberg.