Martin Accad, president of a theological seminary in Beirut, analyses the critical situation on the ground. “Though we often feel helpless, we never feel hopeless”.

Matthias Schöni, director of the Swiss Licht Im Osten, says a new truck with help is already on its way to Ternopil. After the attack, “we have received many food and financial donations”, he says.

In Europe, we have become used to the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees, most notably when some 2 million people fleeing the conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan. Yet the Ukraine migration crisis has been different.

The number of people fleeing war, persecution and conflict exceeded 70 million globally last year. Churches worldwide will celebrate World Refugee Sunday on June 23.