MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina to deploy White Helmets to Poland-Ukraine border

Cafiero met Monday with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer in Geneva

Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero Monday ordered the deployment of the so-called White Helmets to the border between Poland and Ukraine on a humanitarian mission to assist nationals stranded in the area, it was announced in Buenos Aires.

A White Helmets mission headed by a delegation of civilian volunteers escorted by consular officials will leave for the border between Poland and Ukraine to provide humanitarian assistance to Argentine citizens seeking to leave the war-torn country as well as national of other CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) in the same predicament, it was announced.

Cafiero met Monday with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer in Geneva, to discuss the White Helmets’ involvement in the crisis.

Argentine White Helmets Chief Sabina Frederic created a Mobile Consulate made up of consular staff and specialized volunteers to assist Latin Americans arriving from Ukraine to the Polish border. Frederic is a former Security Minister under President Alberto Fernández. The roving office will process applications for travel documents as well as provide psychological support to the evacuees.

The White Helmets deployment actually began last Thursday, when Frederic and other officials started a joint effort with Argentina’s Ambassadors to Kyiv, Elena Mikusinski and Warsaw, Ana María Ramírez as well as with members of the diplomatic mission in Romania, it was reported.

Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Cuba are the only Latin American countries with a diplomatic mission at Embassy level in Kyiv.