The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with full
force, with President Vladimir Putin declaring that peace talks with Ukraine
are at a “dead end”. In just under two months, millions of Ukrainians have been
forced out of their homes and reduced to refugees; millions more are internally
displaced. Now, US companies have come forward to help these refugees from Ukraine.
CEOs of 35 major American corporations have launched the Welcome.US CEO
Council, which has pledged $75 million for new financial and in-kind donations.

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The companies have pledged to create employment
opportunities for many refugees, including those from Afghanistan. Welcome.US
is a non-profit platform established in 2021 to help Afghan refugees during the
collapse of the Afghan government against the Taliban.

Nazanin Ash, CEO of Welcome.US said, “One of this
country’s greatest strengths is the diversity of our people. We may come from
different backgrounds, but we come together in times of need to welcome those
seeking refuge.”

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 “I proudly welcome
our new CEO Council and their commitment to support our new Afghan and
Ukrainian neighbours. Their commitment will also make it possible for us to
answer the call to support other newcomers in the future. This unprecedented
collaboration is a testament to our country’s expansive capacity and
willingness to welcome those seeking safety here in the United States,” she
added.

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Accenture CEO Julie Sweet and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai
will co-chair the council, with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen,
and Amazon’s Andy Jassy.

Other corporations in the council are Advent
International, AIG, Airbnb, Comcast, Delta, Gap, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher,
HP, Lyft, ManpowerGroup, Marriott International, Meta, Microsoft, American
Express, Blackstone, Business Roundtable, Chobani, Pfizer, Snap, Starbucks,
Televisa Univision, T-Mobile, TripAdvisor, Uber, United Airlines, US Chamber of
Commerce, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Walmart.

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The council will help Ukrainian refugees with temporary
shelters, jobs, and the availability of technology like phones, laptops and
more.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai told Fortune that Google has
long supported refugees, immigrants, and dreamers in the United States. “Our
Co-founder Sergey came as a refugee to the United States. I’m an immigrant
here, and know what it is to be welcomed with open arms by a new place,” he
added.

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Companies from the European Union (EU) have also come
forward to support refugees by providing services such as job sites dedicated
to helping Ukrainian refugees find new opportunities.

According to the latest United Nations data, more than 11
million Ukrainian citizens have been displaced and 4.5 million are now suddenly
being turned into refugees.