We have made sufficient connections to have some new operations. There is less need at the UK desk as they continue to be stalled by the UK visa process. However, I would be remiss if I didn't give some context to the situation. The UK requires Ukrainians to find a sponsor family (on their own or with a charitable org) before getting a visa and flying in to immediately stay with the family. As we saw it on the ground it was incredibly difficult and frustrating to see every other country loading buses and the UK was struggling to house all the refugees waiting weeks for a visa.
There is another perspective. We have started to see people returning to not only Poland, but to our Centre. They took the nearest bus and then were housed in communal centres or other similar cot-type lodging for weeks waiting to be processed. So perhaps it's six of one, half dozen of another.
Responsible governments must vet the host. Responsible governments must vet the refugees. Merely arriving in country immediately doesn't mean you get a host family upon arrival because that would be irresponsible.
So what is the more comforting system for the refugees? You'd have to ask them on the back end and compare across a population of people. If you get it all sorted before leaving, you travel directly to your trusted and vetted host. If you hop on the first bus to Spain, you will await the processing there.
That's all to say we are ramping up our operation to deliver aid into Ukraine, evacuate vulnerable populations in Ukraine, provide remote translation, and ship family-to-family aid parcels.