March 11, 2022

Startpage stands with the people of Ukraine

We are deeply saddened by the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those affected by the conflict. The invasion of Ukraine marks a clear violation of international law and goes against what Startpage stands for as a company.

According to the head of the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine had reached 2 million on Tuesday, while many other civilians have been injured or killed. As the international community is responding to the situation with sanctions and support efforts for Ukrainian citizens, we have been wondering what we at Startpage can do. While we do not have offices or employees in the region, many of our Startpage users come from Ukraine and, as a European company, we want to support our neighbors during this difficult time.

We have made a contribution to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund through the UN Crisis Relief fund as well as Polish Humanitarian Action, to ensure that funding reaches the people most in need when they need it. We are also matching donations made by our employees.

At the same time, access to information and freedom of expression are also falling victim to this war. Currently, Ukrainian journalists are facing extreme hardships whilst trying to report from the ground while at the same time, censorship in other countries is preventing people from accessing verified content. That’s why we are supporting the important work of Reporters Without Borders to help keep journalists on the ground safe and secure the free flow of information.

We also want to use our reach to highlight the work of some other international organizations that are providing highly needed humanitarian relief at this time.