Ben Stiller Meets Ukrainian Refugees Who Fled to Poland Amid War: 'I'm Here to Learn'
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Andrew McConnell / UNHCR.
Ben Stiller is using his platform to raise awareness and support for the war in Ukraine.
The Emmy Award winner, 56, who is also a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador, met with volunteers Saturday upon his arrival in Rzeszow, Poland to assist UNHCR in amplifying the needs of displaced Ukrainians.
"I've just arrived in Poland with UNHCR, to meet families whose lives have been torn apart by war and violence in Ukraine," he wrote on Instagram. "Millions have been forced to flee their homes with over 90% being women and children. I'm here to learn, to share stories that illustrate the human impact of war and to amplify calls for solidarity.
"I hope you'll follow along and share your own messages of support, for people who have fled their homes in Ukraine and for people who have been forced to flee all over the world. Everyone has the right to seek safety. Whoever, wherever, whenever," Stiller added.
Stiller's visit comes ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20.
RELATED VIDEO: As Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Continues, Citizens Around the World Still Manage to Uplift Each Other
Russia's attack on Ukraine continues after its forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
Details of the fighting change by the day, but thousands of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children. Millions of Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.
"You don't know where to go, where to run, who you have to call. This is just panic," Liliya Marynchak, a 45-year-old teacher in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, told PEOPLE of the moment her city was bombed — one of numerous accounts of experiencing bombardment from Russians forces.
The invasion, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has drawn condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.
HANDOUT/Ukrainian State Emergency Servic/AFP via Getty Ukraine school bombing
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin, 69, insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy, 44, had vowed not to bend.
RELATED VIDEO: Angelina Jolie Visits Lviv, Ukraine, to 'Welcome Internally Displaced Ukrainians'
"Nobody is going to break us, we're strong, we're Ukrainians," he told the European Union in a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, "Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness."
The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
