Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn had talks with Chargé d’Affaires of the Polish Embassy in Việt Nam Maciej Duszynski on Monday. — Photo from the ministry

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam appreciates Poland’s support in evacuating nearly 2,000 Vietnamese people from Ukraine to Poland and providing them with shelter and necessities, Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn told Chargé d’Affaires of the Polish Embassy in Việt Nam Maciej Duszynski on Monday.

During a meeting in Hà Nội, Sơn underlined that the assistance, as well as Poland’s provision of COVID-19 vaccines and medical supplies worth US$4 million for Việt Nam, was evidence of the sound traditional friendship and close ties between the two nations.

Sơn said that on March 9, Việt Nam would have a second repatriation flight to bring home nearly 300 Vietnamese citizens and their family members, who have travelled to Poland from Ukraine. More flights would be launched in the following days, he added.

The Vietnamese foreign minister expressed his hope that Poland would provide shelter for nearly 1,000 Vietnamese people on the way to the country from Ukraine while creating favourable conditions for repatriation flights, including early issuance of permits and assistance in processing exit procedures.

He said he hoped Poland would consider allowing Vietnamese people with long-term residency in Ukraine to stay in Poland until they return to Ukraine.

At the meeting, Sơn handed a letter to his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau asking for coordination and support in citizen protection activities for Vietnamese people evacuated to Poland and inviting him to visit Việt Nam to discuss measures to promote the traditional friendship and cooperation.

Maciej Duszynski hailed the Vietnamese Government’s efforts in protecting its citizens, including the prompt arrangement of the first repatriation flight.

He welcomed officials from the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland on the Poland-Ukraine border to direct citizen protection activities and underscored that the Polish Government was creating favourable conditions for citizens from other countries, including Việt Nam, to enter Poland.

He said that his country would help with procedures related to the operation of flights to bring Vietnamese people home from Poland. — VNS