Since Russia launched the attacks on Ukraine, many familiar faces are helping citizens fleeing the war-torn country.
The couple formed by the American actor Ashton Kutcher and also the actress Mila Kunis, originally from Chernovtsi, a city in the southwest of Ukraine, turned from the beginning of the conflict with the Ukrainian people and have managed to raise 35 million dollars - about 32 million euros – to help refugees.
A figure that the country's own president, Volodímir Zelenski, has revealed this Sunday, who has shared through Twitter that he has met with the couple of actors by videoconference to thank them for their work.
On March 3, Kunis and Kutcher launched a fundraising initiative through the GoFundMe platform to finance the companies Flexport and Airbnb.
The first is a transportation company that brings supplies to citizens fleeing the invaded country, and the second provides them with free accommodation.
Zelensky has praised the couple through his personal Twitter account, assuring that they were "among the first to respond" to his "pain" and that they had already managed to raise 35 million dollars to help citizens fleeing the country.
He completed his message thanking him for his support: “Impressed by your determination.
They inspire the world."
.@aplusk & Mila Kunis were among the first to respond to our grief.
They have already raised $35 million & are sending it to @flexport & @Airbnb to help 🇺🇦 refugees.
Grateful for their support.
Impressed by their determination.
They inspire the world.
#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/paa0TjJseu
– Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 20, 2022
Last Thursday, the couple revealed through Instagram that they had reached their fundraising goal of 30 million dollars (27.2 million euros), just two weeks after the launch of the initiative.
Initially, his goal was to raise three million to provide humanitarian aid.
“More than 65,000 people have participated in the donations.
Although this is far from solving the problem, our collective effort will bring an easier arrival to many people as they move into a future of uncertainty,” Kunis said.
Kutcher also noted that his work was not done.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that the shows of support from all of you have the maximum impact on those in need.
As funds continue to come in, we'll treat every dollar as if it came out of our pocket,
with respect and honor for the work that has been done to earn it, with the appreciation with which it was given and the desire to maximize it to obtain a positive result for others”, affirmed the actors.
They also pointed out that their goal was to continue raising money until reaching a new goal, 40 million dollars, which is equivalent to more than 36 million euros.
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A post shared by Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk)
“Ukrainians are brave people who deserve our help in their time of greatest need.
This unjust attack on Ukraine is devastating and the Ukrainian people need our support.
As we witness the bravery of Ukrainians, we also witness the unimaginable burden of those who have chosen safety.
Many people have left everything they had behind to seek refuge.
Carrying only what they could carry, these refugees need housing and supplies immediately,” reads the description of the GoFundMe page powered by the couple.
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are not the only celebrities who have shown their support for Ukraine.
The couple formed by the actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds also promised to send donations for the refugees and the model Gigi Hadid announced that she would donate her income from her shows during the different fashion weeks to help the citizens of Ukraine, following the footsteps of the Argentine model Mica Argañaraz and her sister and also model Bella Hadid.
“Having a set calendar for fashion month has made my colleagues and I present new collections in heartbreaking and traumatic times.
We don't have control over most of our work schedules, but we'd like to parade for something.
I pledge to donate my proceeds from the Fall 2022 shows to help those suffering from the war in Ukraine."
Hadid reported through Instagram, in a publication that brings together thousands of messages of thanks and admiration for the model.
"Our eyes and hearts must be open to all human injustice."
More information
How to help Ukraine from Spain?
Donations, collection of products and support for refugees
The British Benedict Cumberbatch is another of the actors who has turned to the country.
In his recent appearance at the Bafta Awards, the awards given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, which celebrated their 75th edition on March 13, the interpreter showed his support for the Houses for Ukraine initiative, a campaign that invites people to welcome Ukrainian refugees into their homes.
“Today it has been announced that there is a record number of people volunteering to welcome others into their homes, and I hope to do so too,” he said on the red carpet for Britain's
Sky News
television channel .
Cumberbatch received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this month and also used his speech to talk about the situation in Ukraine.
"We cannot sit idly by.
It is not a time for greed, laziness, inactivity or ineptitude.
We need to act, and there are things you can do.
You can support organizations.
You can support those who help refugees.
You can support human rights organizations.
You can pressure your politicians, your banks, your industry to recognize anything you can do.
It is possible, so I urge people to do it today.”
In the long list of well-known faces that have shown their support for Ukraine there are also numerous personalities on the national scene such as actor Antonio Banderas, who donated the entire proceeds of one of the performances of his show
Company;
the Spanish model Eugenia Silva, who has joined the initiative of the
influencer
Gala Gonzalez and the public relations Julia Urgel to raise funds for the Ukrainian people through the Help Foundation;
or the chef Cristina Oria, who has joined the NGO World Central Kitchen of also chef José Andrés, who since the beginning of the Russian attacks on Ukraine traveled to the country's borders to feed people fleeing the war.
The Italian
influencer
Chiara Ferragni, along with her husband, the rapper Fedez, also wanted to show their support for the invaded country, joining the Italian Red Cross and numerous actors and artists on the international scene such as the interpreter Angelina Jolie, the singer Miley Cyrus or the actress Milla Jovovich, of Ukrainian descent, have taken advantage of their influence on social networks to make the situation in the country visible and ask for help for refugees.
Some even went to Ukraine, as is the case of the American actor and director Sean Penn, who went to the country to record a documentary for the production company Vice Studios about the war conflict, although he left the country through the Polish border after meeting with President Zelensky.
