NEW YORK (AFP) – U.S. vacation rental platform Airbnb announced yesterday that it will offer free short-term stays to up to 100,000 people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The San Francisco-based company said in a statement that its top executives have “sent letters to leaders across Europe, starting with the leaders of Poland, Germany, Hungary and Romania, offering their support for the reception of refugees within their borders”.
“As Airbnb.org is committed to facilitating short-term housing for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine, it will work closely with governments to best meet each country’s specific needs, including by offering longer term stays,” he added.
The units will be funded by the company, donors to an Airbnb fund for refugees and hosts, he said.
Airbnb.org is the company’s non-profit organization (NGO), which facilitates temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world.
Since the start of the Russian offensive, around 400,000 Ukrainians have entered the European Union (EU), according to an AFP count.
Nearly half of them reached Poland, according to the government in Warsaw.
Airbnb’s initiative echoes the aid offered last August to Afghans seeking to flee their country after the Taliban took over.
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