Celebrity chef Jose Andres announced Friday evening that his not-for-profit organization will provide meals along Ukraine’s western border as the country fends off a Russian invasion.
Andres, who announced Thursday that his team was headed to Poland, said in a video posted on social media that he already has people from World Central Kitchen “on the ground” to offer their help. Additionally, he said he would be donating up to $5 million to help Ukrainian refugees.
“So I always say wherever there is a fight, hungry people will eat,” Andres said in his video. “Well, there is a fight, and we’re going to make sure that nobody’s going hungry and show the respect they deserve.”
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People of the World…Like you, I am distraught watching Ukraine under attack. We must come together as a force for good! @WCKitchen is on Poland border delivering meals tonight—Romania soon. In addition to your donations…I am committing support from the Bezos award to Ukraine.?? pic.twitter.com/ws0EFl8zLd
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) February 25, 2022
The Twitter account for World Central Kitchen said it is set up along the Ukraine-Poland border, “where thousands of refugees are crossing,” and noted that the operation is expected to expand to Romania.
WCK’s @SamBloch1 is on the ground at the Ukraine-Poland border, where thousands of refugees are crossing. Tonight we have meals here & at a train station where families are sleeping. We will scale up efforts quick to serve hundreds of thousands here & in Romania. #ChefsForUkraine pic.twitter.com/AlCxekIHbt
— World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) February 25, 2022
The celebrity chef, who has provided meals to the needy in other disasters around the world — he was a recipient of Jeff Bezos’s Courage and Civility Award in 2021 and received $100 million — said, “We need to be a force for good.” Andres said this is accomplished by “believing in longer tables, not to start bombing.” He ended his video by encouraging viewers to “pray for the people of Ukraine.”
Russia began its invasion early Thursday morning local time. By early Saturday morning local time, intense fighting was being reported around Kyiv, the country’s capital.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the alliance is “now deploying the NATO Response Force for the first time in a collective defense context” in response to Russia’s invasion. Ukraine is not a NATO member but neighbors a number of NATO member states.
President Joe Biden leveled new economic penalties on the Russian financial system and Kremlin elites and sanctioned the Russia-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline this week amid the invasion. The White House announced plans Friday for the United States to join European allies in directly sanctioning Russian President Vladimir Putin and top members of his national security team.
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The White House defended Biden’s decision not to deploy U.S. forces into Ukraine on Friday despite acknowledging Putin’s “larger ambitions” of restoring the former Soviet Union. Biden has been “clear” regarding U.S. support of NATO defense operations, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
